COVINGTON COUNTY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Covington County sheriff is responding to a letter that accuses him of unconstitutional religious promotion on the “Covington County Sheriffs Department” Facebook page. The letter , sent to Sheriff Blake Turman by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said a concerned resident in the county contacted the national non-profit to report the sheriff’s department’s official page regularly promotes Christianity. The letter mentions three posts specifically: one on April 7 that asked for prayers for county jail inmates to open up to “God,” one on April 21 wishing everyone a Happy Easter and stating “He is risen indeed!” and one on May 31 that quoted a verse from the Book of Micah in the Bible. Citing the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause in the First Amendment, FFRF said government entities cannot endorse religion. The Establishment Clause states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” “The Covington County Sheriff’s Department serves a diverse population that consists of not only Christians, but also minority religious and nonreligious citizens,” the letter states. “We hope you will agree that the department must be even-handed and avoid any appearance of bias toward […]
