Georgia Sheriff Posts Sign to ‘Stir People's Belief'
HARRIS COUNTY, Ga. - A Georgia sheriff is getting a lot of attention over a sign he paid to put up outside his office.
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Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley said he put up the sign to "stir people's belief" and patriotism.
It reads: "WARNING: Harris County is politically incorrect. We say: Merry Christmas, God Bless America and In God We Trust. We salute our troops and our flag. If this offends you… LEAVE!"
"I respect people that disagree with what I have put up there, because I spent time in the military to give them the right to disagree with it, but if what is up there offends them and truly offends them, then yeah, I don't really want them here," Sheriff Jolley said.
Jolley paid $553 of his own money to install the sign. Several citizens have also expressed interest in purchasing one.
"I'm honored and humbled to get this attention," he said.
But Jolley said he does not want the attention to negatively impact citizens.
"If I get a court order or if my county commissioners send me a letter and say that they've been told by some judge for me to take it down, I'm not going to cost my taxpayers any money to fight that battle," Jolley explained. "I will take it and put it on my private property."
The American Humanist Association sent a letter to the sheriff and other county officials Wednesday on behalf of a citizens concerned about the sign. The group wants the sign to be taken down immediately because they believe it violates the separation of church and state.
"While some residents of your community may support a sign with such a message, there can be no question that it conveys a religiously biased message that is invidious toward those who do not hold theistic, and particularly Christian, views," the letter reads.
Jolley said he does not believe a citizen would have contacted the AHA so quickly, but said he would be happy to meet with him or her.
"I wish the concerned citizen would come up here and meet with me and let me know why he's offended or does he just disagree with it," said Jolley. "That's my problem. Is he really offended? Or does he just disagree with it?"
Jolley has been the sheriff of Harris County for six terms.