A non-believer of religion, angels in particular, from Shelton filed a lawsuit because his request for putting up a banner in a park that says "angels don't exist" was rejected.
Jerome Bloom, a resident in Shelton filed a federal lawsuit because he is offended by the display of angels in Constitution Park every holiday season. He requested that he will also be allowed to put up a sign next to the angels that reads, "At this season of Winter Solstice, let reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds," Fox 61 reported.
According to New Haven Independent, Bloom observed that the city allowed the American Legion to display angels at the park every December. Although the herald display is "beautiful," it annoys him because it is an example of public space being used to endorse explicit religious message.
As expected, Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti rejected his request saying it is "offensive to many." He said that he respects every people's right to express themselves but "you don't want to get into a situation where it becomes divisive throughout the community."
A local businesswoman from Shelton, Dajana Damjanovich, agreed with the mayor's side. "If this person wants to wear a t-shirt with his belief or a hat or put it on his own front lawn, he has every right to do that," Damjanovich said. "But we can't have these signs up all around town."
Most of Shelton residents believe in angels. "I've just seen so much evidence that angels do exist that it hurts me personally to hear this, but, everybody is entitled to their own opinion," one resident told.
Bloom filed his lawsuit on March 22, 2016 and it has been the talk of the town eversince. According to Bloom he is aware that his belief is unpopular, but if the city allowed banners about religion to be put up in public space, the city should also be prepared for opposing views. "It may be small potatoes to many and it probably always will be, but to those who wish to exercise their freedom of speech, there can bew few things as precious in this country," he said in a statement.
In an article released by WSHU Public Radio Group, Lawyer Ryan Jayne who represents Bloom in this lawsuit, considered the mayor's disapproval as illegal. "If you're going to allow private groups to put up displays in a public park you can't be picking and choosing which messages you want to allow," Jayne says. "That's called viewpoint discrimination and it violates the free speech clause to the First Amendment to the Constitution."
However, the 13-term Republican Mayor Lauretti said "If there was a different approach, then perhaps we might go along with it."
