City forced to remove cross from their logo after out-of-state atheists threaten to sue

By Nina Golgowski

Published: | Updated:


Unconstitutional: City leaders in Steubenville, Ohio have removed their newly designed logo after a group of atheists and agnostics threatened to sue over a silhouette of a cross and chapel

Unconstitutional: City leaders in Steubenville, Ohio have removed their newly designed logo after a group of atheists and agnostics threatened to sue over a silhouette of a cross and chapel

A city in Ohio has been forced to censor their logo after a group of out-of-state atheists and agnostics threatened to sue over a cross depicted in the image.

Saying they are unable to afford a potential lawsuit, city leaders in Steubenville announced they will change the logo all together on Tuesday after the Freedom from Religion foundation, in Madison, Wisconsin, threatened legal action.

'We will be approaching Mark Nelson of Nelson Fine Art and Gifts and asking him to redesign the city logo to remove the cross and silhouette of the Christ the King Chapel on the Franciscan University of Steubenville campus,' Law Director S. Gary Repella told the Herald Star.

Despite the cross being a potential violation of the public's first amendment rights, city officials reasoned that it merely represents Franciscan University - one of their top employers and most recognized establishments.

City icon: City leaders argued that Franciscan University, its chapel pictured, is one of their city's top employers and most recognized establishments

City icon: City leaders argued that Franciscan University, its chapel pictured, is one of their city's top employers and most recognized establishments

'We were included in the city’s logo not because of our faith, but rather our role in the community,' said Michael Hernon, the university’s vice president of advancement, speaking to the Herald Star.

'This out of town and out of touch group decided that they wanted to purge all reference to religion from the public life,' he said.

Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) told the Star that it was someone inside Steubenville, however, who contacted them complaining of the logo.

'We were contacted by a citizen of Steubenville because this is clearly an unconstitutional issue,' she said.

Inside help: The Freedom from Religion Foundation, who threatened to sue the city, said that it was one of the town's citizens who contacted them for help changing the logo

Inside help: The Freedom from Religion Foundation, who threatened to sue the city, said that it was one of the town's citizens who contacted them for help changing the logo

In a posting to their website on Wednesday, the group called the decision a 'FFRF victory.'

'Government cannot pick sides on religion. All citizens — whether Christian, Jewish, atheist or agnostic, Muslim, etc. — must be welcomed as full participants, and the only way to do that is to keep religion out of government,' Ms Gaylor said in the post.

Last resort: The city has resorted back to their former logo, shown, until their designer is able to create a new one with the input of citizens and city leaders

Last resort: The city has resorted back to their former logo, shown, until their designer is able to create a new one with the input of citizens and city leaders

Mr Hernon sees the group as an out-of-town bully.

'This is a really troubling affair, that in a small place like Steubenville they can come in and try to bully and remove anything that would be close to referencing god,' he told Fox News.

Back to the drawing board, the city's designer said he had already prepared a new logo without the cross shown but it again was revoked by the FFRF for keeping in the Christ the king chapel's silhouette.

'On a very personal level I find it very frustrating that one person or a small group can complain and ultimately change the city's logo,' Mr Nelson told the Star.

‘What bothers me is this organization has used its interpretation of separation of church and state that is not included in the Constitution to bully the city into changing its logo. My family and I are proud to be here in Steubenville and to be part of the community. We are also proud to have a business in Steubenville,’ Mr Nelson added.

Until a new logo is created - with open suggestions from the community, city leaders and the university - they have resorted back to their previous logo.

That former one, using four colours of yellow, green, blue and brown, illustrates a colonial fortress flying an unmarked black flag.

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