The culture in north Florida is often thought to be more south Georgia than the hedonistic Florida of Miami, depicted on postcards, vacation pictures and television shows like “CSI” or  of the “Khloe and Kourtney  [Kardashian] Take Miami” variety.

The in the heart of North Central Florida is Gainesville. Home to national championship college football and basketball  teams …and many churches. The region  lies within the Bible belt.

This July one church distinguished itself from the rest when it posted signs on its lawn displaying: “Islam is of the Devil.”  The quiet, middleclass neighborhood in which Dove World Outreach Center Church resides is incensed.  Protests ensue, and brings people, young and old, out with signs denouncing the message.

While cameras descend on the protesters, blogs reveal those who aren’t at all opposed to the message from the Christian church. They, however, don’t make themselves public.

Gainesville city officials can’t have the church remove the sign –it’s clear that First Amendment rights are being tested— but  according to city hall the signs break height rules, and must be lowered. The church accommodates, and adds to the incendiary message.

As the church gains more media attention,  its pastor Terry Jones uses the momentum to fuel the controversy and more attention. Children of Dove’s congregants start wearing t-shirts to school brandishing, “Islam is of the Devil.” The Alachua County School Board bans the t-shirts. Now the ACLU has filed in the federal district court in Gainesville against the school board.

For more information:

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091129/OPINION02/911279937?tc=ar

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091124/ARTICLES/911241001