|
Atheist wants Frankenmuth to remove religious symbols Francis X. Donnelly / The Detroit News Front page Saturday, June 21, 2008 FRANKENMUTH -- If this popular tourist mecca 80 miles north of Detroit wears Germany on one of its sleeves, the other contains Martin Luther. Founded by Lutheran missionaries who vowed to retain their old ways, the community of 4,800 has one of the highest concentrations of Lutherans in the Midwest. The city seal contains a Luther rose, the symbol for Lutheranism. So when local atheist Lloyd Clarke wanted to remove a cross from the seal, along with ones in a city park and on a state bridge, residents rose nearly as one against him. Children taunted the 66-year-old Clarke. A letter writer accused him of trying to reduce Frankenmuth to "Satan's pit." Another said crosses were as much a part of the town as its renowned chicken dinners. "People who like to cite the Constitution to justify their hatred and bigotry should take the time to read it," resident Judi King wrote to the local paper. The Ann-Arbor-based Thomas More Law Center announced earlier this month it has been retained by the city to defend the crosses on the city seal and city park. The city removed the ones on the downtown bridge after Clarke argued they were an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion. But he is hardly celebrating. Stung by the community reaction, he has withdrawn from the controversy. He hopes a Washington group, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, will pick up the battle against the remaining crosses. The organization is considering such a move. "Whenever I thought I had put out the flames, it was like pouring gas on the fire," he said. Clarke, who said he sometimes feels like he's the one hanging from the cross, isn't the only person trying to avoid the glaring spotlight the issue has focused on the city. City Manager Charlie Graham didn't return several phone calls, and longtime Mayor Gary Rupprecht declined to say anything. The Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce wouldn't discuss the issue, including whether it's hurting local businesses. Rich in German history In Frankenmuth, populated by shops like the Cheese Haus and Willi's Sausage Co., German isn't just a marketing device, it's the soul of the community. Homes and businesses have the Alpine architecture of ornate balconies and overhanging eaves. One of the two Lutheran churches conducts a monthly service in German. The McDonald's once had a German menu. Waiters at Zehnder's wear lederhosen. Nicknamed Little Bavaria for the part of Germany where its settlers came from, Frankenmuth has the only Oktoberfest outside Munich that is sanctioned by that city. The only thing missing is the Alps. Minorities said the lack of diversity sometimes makes them feel less than willkommen. The population is 99 percent white, with 13 blacks and 14 Asians, according to the census. "You'd like to see more people who look like you," said Walt Hunter, 54, a black contractor who moved into town two years ago because he found it a good place to raise a family. Into this quaint world of all things Bavarian moved Clarke four years ago. |