Setting the record straight

Confusion and rumors persist 41 months later – some citizens of Northeastern Pennsylvania continue to falsely believe that I had entered into a public drunken stupor and urinated on a nativity scene on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

People continue to confuse me with Nathan Strawn, a Catholic King’s College student who urinated on a nativity scene, although we only have two things in common: we were — at the time — King’s College students and had received significant media attention which involved nativity scenes.

In 2009, I contacted the ACLU concerning a stand-alone nativity display on grounds of the Luzerne County Courthouse and — with help of the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State — the nativity display was removed and later integrated into an inclusive display.

In 2010, Nathan Strawn admitted to urinating on a nativity scene while drunk and authored an apology letter following his action.

I suppose local individuals — remembering tidbits from news articles — think “King’s College student,” “Justin Vacula,” and “urinate” instead of “King’s College student,” “Nathan Strawn,” and “urinate” – recalling I was in the news concerning a nativity scene and erroneously linking me with urination on a nativity scene. I don’t fault local media for this, but rather believe people are confused while remembering small bits from local reporting.

I am not Nathan Strawn.

I did not urinate on a nativity scene.

Hopefully this will dispel confusion.