Nativity Scene Puts on Fresh Face, Thanks to Volunteers

Visitors came to Balboa Park on Monday afternoon to see the traditional Nativity scene that was vandalized with blue spray paint, but they were surprised to see that everything was restored and freshly painted.

“It looked better than it did before,” said Barbara Johnson of Lakeside. “It’s wonderful how people came out to help, especially the artists.”

Darcy Konold of San Diego said if she had heard about the vandalism on the creche earlier she would have helped with the restoration.

Volunteers showed up during the weekend with toothbrushes, rags and Q-tips, ready to help wash off the light blue paint sprayed on the Nativity scene, said Paul Schmidt, chairman of the Community Christmas Center Committee.

Schmidt said most of the volunteers were sent home, but a few worked all day to remove paint from the 40-piece Nativity scene.

Paint was sprayed on the biblical scenes, including animals, angels and wise men. The figures are housed in eight green sheds.

Scrawled on the canvas backdrops were “Keep Religion Private,” “Out of Our Park,” and “1st Amendment.”

When the paint came off, the surface of the figures was the same as before, Schmidt said. On Sunday, several artists volunteered their time, and touched up the figures with matching paint.

Although the damage costs have decreased because of repairs made over the weekend, Schmidt on Monday estimated the repair cost at $10,000. He said the figures will have to be repaired and repainted next year to recapture the facial softness that the late Rudolph Vargas created. A few of the canvas backdrops will also have to be repaired.

The San Diego Police Department is calling the attack on the 36-year-old Nativity scene in Balboa Park a hate crime.

Police still have no suspects in the felony vandalism, which occurred sometime late Thursday or early Friday. The crime carries a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment, a $5,000 fine or both.

Members of the local chapter of the American Atheists offered to give the Christmas Committee photographs to assist in repainting the papier-mache figures. The organization unsuccessfully sued the city last year, accusing it of promoting religious preference by allowing citizens to erect the scenes of Jesus’ birth and life on public property.

Howard Kreisner, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, said he offered color photographs of the Nativity scene to Schmidt, who said that he would consider the offer. The pictures were taken by the atheist group last year as evidence in the lawsuit.

Schmidt said he thanked Kneisner but didn’t accept the pictures because the Christmas Committee has its own pictures and because he has mixed feelings about the organization’s offer to help.

“I don’t understand why they want to help when they don’t want us in the park,” Schmidt said. “They say it’s their way of saying they understand. But I am glad they said they had no part in the (vandalism).”

Stephen Thorne, director of the local chapter of the American Atheists, said he understands how the Christmas committee feels.

“They’re important to them. We understand. That’s why we’re doing what we can,” Thorne said.

He said the organization fights its battles legally, not illegally.

“Free expression stops at the spray nozzle,” he said. I don’t care what is being said, we don’t do those kinds of things. One nut did it, and, if I knew who it was, I would turn him in to police.”

Afraid that the unknown vandal or vandals may return, Schmidt said, volunteers have offered to guard the Nativity scene at night until it is taken down in a few weeks.