A group of Christians here in Starkville, Mississippi, organized a movement to erect a giant 120-foot cross next to one of the major highways through our city. Other towns in Mississippi have erected similar crosses near highways.

Like most towns in the South, Starkville has a large number of diverse Christian churches. The “Christian” label encompasses the widest range of diversity of all faiths. At this point, the group organizing this project has drawn diverse members towards its unifying goal of erecting the cross. The cross is to unify all who trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Starkville, home of Mississippi State University, is arguably the most progressive or “awakened” city in the state. Residents and students include people from nearly all 50 states and dozens of other countries. Thus, Starkville benefits from more religious groups than most small towns in the South.

The symbols have become “offensive” especially to wake people up. What does it mean to be awake? People who are awakened are “aware of injustice in society, especially racism”. A cross is an offensive symbol right here as jewelry, let alone a 120 foot cross. Thus, the effort to erect the cross elicited a lot of negative reactions, including “hostility” from local officials.