Religious Symbols on Public Property

When faced with the question whether or not the display of religious symbols should be allowed on public property the answer seems pretty clear to me--no.

Public property is meant for the public [obviously] and should be a more professional atmosphere. I don't see how displaying religious images would be beneficial because it will please one person but it would also anger another. The angry person could argue that this shows favoritism to a specific religion. Now one could argue displaying all religious symbols would eliminate a bias toward one specific belief but there are still people out there who do not participate in religious holiday festivities. Essentially displaying religious symbols just leads to an endless circle of offended angry people. I believe it's best to avoid this all together by just not displaying religious symbols during the holiday season.

Now there are plenty other non-religious alternatives that don't "ruin the holiday spirit". For instance holly, lights, wreaths, snowmen, and mistletoe are only a few of the alternatives that could be taken and used to decorate in an attempt to be more festive. Point being, the separation of church and state is crucial simply because one never knows who he or she might offend.

Plus, this doesn't say that one can't decorate his or her house, inside and out, and put up whatever he or she pleases. Private property is fine for a religious display because it is self-owned, not at place for the public. Even personal websites or blogs are fine to post whatever you please because it belongs to the individual and anyone who visits does so because of free will.

I personally don't mind seeing Christmas decorations simply because I take part in the Christmas festivities however other cultures might become offended when their beliefs are not mentioned or are disregarded during the holiday season. I am only an individual, the public must be taken into account as well, not just my own personal preference. In conclusion, I believe that public buildings and offices should be kept professional even during the holiday season because one can't assume he or she is not offending someone else--the public in general, with a religious display he or she chooses to put up.