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Town Fights Wis. Group's Push To Remove Nativity Scene

BELEN, N.M. (AP) -- The little New Mexico town of Belen -- Spanish for Bethlehem -- is fighting to keep an all-year round Nativity scene on city property.

Belen Mayor Jerah Cordova told The Associated Press the city will continue to resist pressure from a Wisconsin-based organization to remove a piece of art on the birth of Jesus. Cordova says the city has explored options like selling the property to keep the Nativity scene up but for now it will remain under city control.

Freedom From Religion Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor says Belen is violating the U.S. Constitution by keeping the religious art on city property.

She says if Belen decides to sell the property, her foundation may bid on it and replace the art with a monument to nonbelievers.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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