MORTON GROVE, Ill., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- An openly atheist blogger's donation to the park and recreation department in Morton Grove, Ill., was refused and returned to him, a park official said.
When a local veterans group, American Legion Post 134, canceled its $2,600 donation to the Chicago-area community's Park District after district Commissioner Dan Ashta, an attorney focusing on constitutional law, refused to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance at meetings, Napierville teacher and proprietor of the "Friendly Atheist" blog Hemant Mehta collected more than $3,000 from his readers to replace the donation.
Mehta's check has been returned to him, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday.
Tracey Anderson, Park District executive director, told Mehta in an email the park board "has no intention of becoming embroiled in a First Amendment dispute."
The veterans withheld their donation, angered by Ashta's alleged lack of respect for the flag. Ashta said his refusal to stand was an example of free speech.
Mehta said he emailed the Park District in early November, identifying himself as an atheist and offering to make a donation in support of Ashta's action. He later received a reply from Anderson with no mention of Mehta's motivation for the donation.
Mehta said he would likely seek another local charity to receive the money. "Unfortunately the Park District would rather lose money than take the charity of atheists and their supporters," he said.
