By: Sharon Aron Baron

A South Florida activist who wrote to Governor Rick Scott’s office asking for approval to erect a festivus pole, has received approval.

After hearing about a group installing a manger display in the State Capitol as well as another group intending to add the Three Wise Men, Deerfield Beach resident Chaz Stevens, a self-proclaimed “militant Atheist,” felt that his festivus pole rightfully deserved a place there as well.

“I figured one ridiculous act required another,” said Stevens.

The American Civil Liberties Union warned that by allowing private groups to set up religious displays, the State was opening itself up to having to allow all sorts of individual monuments.”

Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said no religious symbols, including a menorah, should be displayed in government buildings. “And I’m not sure the people who manage the State Capitol fully appreciate the door that they have opened,” he said. “They’re not going to be able to say ‘no’ to the group that they don’t favor and ‘yes’ to today’s group that they obviously do favor.”

festivus pole

Stevens, who is a contributor to this website, but is best known for his website MyActsofSedition is feared by politicians everywhere as a corruption fighter. Last year, after negotiating with elected officials, and with the help from the ACLU, Stevens installed the festivus pole outside of Deerfield Beach’s main fire station.

After writing to the Governor’s office asking for authorization to build his festivus pole, which is an 8-foot-tall tower made of Pabst Blue Ribbon cans, he received the approval today and will be making the trip up to Tallahassee to install the festivus pole himself on Wednesday, December 11.

Festivus, a secular holiday celebrated on December 23, commemorates the holiday season and avoids wanton commercialism. Festivus became part of worldwide popular culture after being featured on Seinfeld.

After erecting the festivus pole last year in Deerfield Beach, the city voted to not allow religious displays at all on public owned property.

From: Routt, Sherrie <Sherrie.Routt@dms.myflorida.com>

To: chaz@myactsofsedition.com
Date: Friday, December 6, 2013 at 4:07:20 PM
Subject: The 2013 PBR Holiday Festivus Pole

Your request to place a display in the Plaza Level Rotunda beginning December 11, 2013 through January 3, 2014 has been approved. I will email your official confirmation letter and guidelines for use of state property including instructions for access to the Capitol on Monday, December 9. You may proceed with any steps you need to ready the display for shipping, preparation to install, etc. If you will not be the onsite coordinator to setup and breakdown the display, please provide me that person’s name and contact information and I will copy them on the confirmation.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you,

Sherrie K. Routt, Administrative Assistant II
Department of Management Services
Phone: 850.413.9586
Fax: 850.617.6476

We Serve Those Who Serve Florida

From: Chaz Stevens [mailto:chaz@myactsofsedition.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 9:09 AM
To: Routt, Sherrie
Subject: The 2013 PBR Holiday Festivus Pole

Ms. Routt;

Thank you for calling me and helping me with my application.

As requested, here is a picture of the Festivus Pole Kindly note, this version of the display in the attached pictures stands over 8” tall. However, the one that will be on display in the Capitol Building will conform to DMS guidelines — under 6 feet tall. Both occupy about a 2’x2’ area.

Kindly confirm receipt of this email.

Thank you.

Chaz Stevens

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.