ALBIA, Iowa (AP) — A group is calling for a southern Iowa county and city to cut ties with a monument that features crosses to honor the military and war veterans.
Television station KWWL (http://bit.ly/1Q4Jntm ) reports Americans United for Separation of Church and State sent a letter last week to Monroe County Supervisors and Albia city officials accusing the county’s Welcome Home Soldier monument of violating the First Amendment.
A voter-approved hotel and motel tax fund goes toward maintaining the monument grounds.
The Washington-based group says the use of government money to support the religious displays is unlawful.
The Monroe County Attorney’s Office has drafted a response and plans to stand by the monument.
The monument’s founder Jim Keller says he would go to jail before taking down the crosses.
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Information from: KWWL-TV, http://www.kwwl.com
