For the third year in a row, an atheist activist has erected a 'Festivus pole' in the Florida Capitol's ground floor rotunda as a demonstration against holiday symbols he says infringe on the Constitution's separation of church and state.
Unlike prior years, however, Chaz Stevens' pole stands without competition. A menorah that had been stationed in the rotunda was removed at the conclusion of Hanukkah, and a nativity scene and 'Satanic Temple' display that were exhibited last year aren't making return appearances.
Regardless, Stevens took aim at other Capitol holiday symbols rooted in Christianity, including Christmas trees, as tacit government endorsements of religion. He argues his secular pole is entitled to the same treatment.
"This is an ode to separation of church and state," Stevens said. "And when we don't have separation of church and state, think about those countries that don't have it, we usually bomb the hell of out of them, so I'm pushing back a little bit."
Borrowing a term coined by the television sitcom 'Seinfeld' in its exploration of "the Festivus for the rest of us," Stevens' Festivus pole had previously been built of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer cans. This year, he decided to wrap a rainbow sheath around a PVC pipe, which is topped with a disco ball. The design, he says, is meant to rebut religious activists' opposition to the Supreme Court's decision this year legalizing same-sex marriage.
"This shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be here. But the fact that I'm here, let's have some fun with it," Stevens chuckled.