The city's mayor geared up Friday for a fight to keep a nativity scene in front of the city hall building.

Whitehall Mayor John Wolfe said a nativity scene has been a staple of the city's Christmas display for 30 years, 10TV's Glenn McEntyre reported.

"It is very much a tradition in this community," Wolfe said, "And it will continue to be a tradition in this community."

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According to Wolfe, the nativity scene captures the essence of Christmas.

"It's just the message of the season," Wolfe said. "We are a Christian country."

But some feel such an overtly Christian display is a clear violation of the separation of church and state. The Freedom from Religion Foundation recently wrote Wolfe and expressed concern with the city's display.

"This display in front of a core government building in Whitehall is unconstitutional and must be taken down," the letter read.
    
The letter continued, "It is unlawful for the government to maintain, erect or host a holiday display that consists solely of a nativity scene, thus singling out, showing preference for, and endorsing one religion".

Wolfe said that he has not had a single constituent complain about the nativity scene. He also downplayed the foundation's influence.

"They're atheists, they're antagonists and they're a minority," Wolfe said.

Wolfe said his city attorney looked into the matter and assured him that the nativity scene was within the law because of non-religious displays around it, McEntyre reported.

"I serve the people of Whitehall," Wolfe said.  "If the people of Columbus or Reynoldsburg or any other community are offended by it, so be it. That's not Whitehall."

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