Oct 9th, 2009
Posted by Daniel Mach, ACLU at 3:08pm	Free Speech, Government-Funded Religion

The Court and the Cross

(Originally posted on ACSBlog.)

The Supreme Court heard argument last Wednesday in Salazar v. Buono, an Establishment Clause challenge to the federal government's display of a Latin cross in the Mojave National Preserve. The Court's questions focused largely on esoteric procedural doctrine, and while it's always risky to predict the outcome of a case based on oral argument, it seems unlikely the Court will rule on the broader constitutional issues in the case - namely, whether the plaintiff, a devout Catholic and former National Park Service employee, had standing to challenge the display of the cross; and whether, before it tried to transfer the cross to a private party, the government violated the First Amendment by displaying the sectarian symbol on federal land. (The lower courts decided those issues in favor of the plaintiff in the first round of the case, and the Bush Administration chose not to seek Supreme Court review at the time. As a result, the Court now appears disinclined to revisit those rulings.)

But while the Supreme Court ultimately may pass on the loftier constitutional questions in Buono, Wednesday's argument did have some dramatic moments. In the most heated exchange of the morning, Justice Antonin Scalia peppered Peter Eliasberg, the ACLU attorney arguing for the plaintiff, with questions about the significance of the cross. Justice Scalia bristled at Eliasberg's suggestion that a World War I memorial featuring only a Christian cross sends a message of exclusion and religious favoritism, asking, "The cross doesn't honor non-Christians who fought in the war?" After Eliasberg responded that the cross "is the predominant symbol of Christianity," Justice Scalia pushed back, suggesting that there was no constitutional problem with the display because "the cross is the most common symbol of the resting place of the dead." Eliasberg resisted, explaining that "the cross is the most common symbol of the resting place of Christians." "I have been in Jewish cemeteries," continued Eliasberg, the son of a Jewish World War II Navy veteran. "There is never a cross on a tombstone of a Jew."

The notion that a war memorial featuring a stand-alone Latin cross serves to honor only Christian war dead - a notion Justice Scalia called "outrageous" - was echoed in a series of amicus briefs filed in the case by various veterans groups, including the Jewish War Veterans, the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, the Muslim American Veterans Association, and a group of high-ranking retired military officers. However the Buono case is resolved, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to convince many non-Christian veterans that an isolated, freestanding cross expressly recognizes their service to the country. And Congress's designation of the Mojave cross as one of only 49 national memorials (and the only one commemorating World War I), joining such iconic symbols as the Washington Monument and Mount Rushmore, only compounds the problem. As one retired Army brigadier general recently put it, "The cross is unquestionably a sectarian religious symbol that, as a congressionally designated national memorial to veterans, would convey the message that the military values the sacrifices of Christian war dead over those of service members belonging to other faiths.

The U.S. military has always been religiously diverse, from the Revolutionary War, through World War I (when, for example, an estimated 250,000 Jews served in the U.S. Army), to the present (11 percent of current active members of the military say they belong to a non-Christian faith, and an additional 21 percent are atheists or report no religion). But unlike individual headstones for fallen American soldiers - which appropriately reflect the varied, personal religious preferences of those brave men and women, - the Mojave cross claims to speak for all veterans. Surely, there are other government-sponsored, national symbols that can serve that purpose admirably (the American flag comes to mind), without dividing the country along religious lines.

Permalink |	Free Speech, Government-Funded Religion

1. Steve Says:
   Oct 9th, 2009 at 4:14pm

   The above piece makes it sound like the government was responsible for erecting this cross, when in fact it was a private group that had it put up. I fail to see how congress made a law respecting the establishment of a particular religion simply because someone puts up a Christian symbol on public land. If this is to be outlawed, then those who erect a small cross on the side of roadway to mourn the victim of an accident would also have to be made illegal when we use the ACLU's warped intrepretation of the religious clause in the first admendment.

2. LT Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 12:31am

   It's all about branding. We can't have an American flag because we're only supposed to associate that with liberty and freedom and hot dogs on July 4th. The cross is much more apropos because it filters death through Christianity which says death isn't all that bad since you get to go to heaven. It's the same reason why Disney calls its non-kids movies "Touchstone" - branding.

3. Jon in Wisconsin Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 6:33am

   When in the HELL are we, as a Nation, going to get past all of this segregated bullshit? This monument was erected by Veterans in a time when this was a symbol of ALL deceased military personal. As long as there is Religion and Government, there will be no TRUE separation of both. For no matter WHAT Religion a person is (including Atheism), if said person plays a roll in Government, their Religion influence's their everyday live whether doing their job, or during "off-duty" hours.
   It is more than past time for, what was once a GREAT Country, us as a Nation to band together and start taking care of our people and to quit letting special interest groups and their lawyers continue to deteriorate and segregate this country into a land NOT Ruled by Justice and the Majority VOTE, but into a land where the many are ruled by the few with the money to over-run the poor and the one's that really do care for this Country.

   SEVERELY Disappointed in "OUR COUNTRY" Jon in Wisconsin

4. Paul Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 1:24pm

   I am not a christian and I think it's ridiculous that the ACLU is making a big deal out of a cross planted in a desert that was put there some 75 years ago to honor our fallen soldiers. I'm not offended, and again, I'm not a christian. I'm an easy going person with a live and let live attitude. If there were more people in the world with my attitude, there would be less turmoil, for sure. There are too many uptight people looking for conflict and looking to impose there way of thinking on other people. The ACLU is also wasting taxpayer dollars by taking this to the supreme court. Focus on protecting our constitutional rights and freedoms instead of focusing on a war memorial!

5. robert weemes Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 2:24pm

   May God have mercy on this organization because of your ignorance on marriage with the same sex and gay rights.You need to read all of Romans chapter 1. I am ashamed to be an american the U.S.gone down hill since taking prayer out of school,removing the ten commanments from government buildings. And anything that has to do with God that you have taken away. Thats why the U.S. is in the situation it is in today.

6. Diane Perry Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 5:07pm

   I just received an email from another fellow American who is outraged just as I am. In the email, it stated that the ACLU has filed a suit to have all military crosses at burial sites removed. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!!!! ARE YOU ALL ATHEISTS? IF YOU ARE, YOU ARE CERTAINLY NOT AMERICANS! IN GOD'S NAME, Diane Perry

7. SPC FIDALGO Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 7:39pm

   .... i believe in the one true living JESUS CHRIST... and the ACLU will NEVER be able to take that from me... and millions of others... GOD is a powerful and JUST GOD, for those who deny him, will also be denied into heaven.... i as a christian am not one to judge you, but i feel it is my duty to spread my faith... he is coming again soon and i will pray for all those lost souls who are in favor of taking HIS symbols off of public displays, and i will pray for those who wish to take HIM out of our school. Here is a quote from a song that displays GOD's strong love for his people- "NOW THEY WANT TO KICK HIM OUT OF SCHOOLS AND TAKE HIM OFF OUR MONEY... THEY CAN TAKE THOSE WORDS OFF OF PAPER AND STONE.... BUT HE AINT GONE.... HE AINT THE LEAVING KIND, HE'D NEVER WALK AWAY... EVEN FOR THOSE WHO DONT BELIEVE AND WANNA LEAVE HIM BEHIND.... HE AINT THE LEAVING KIND" - RASCAL FLATTS. just some food for thought... and to say there are "high ranking" military officials that support this..... who cares.... im in the military, and guess what- there are plenty of "HIGH RANKING" military officials that DO NOT support any such thing!!! They are called chaplan's... True men of GOD, PASTORS!!!... AMEN.... real men that serve not only their country... but the all mighty and powerful GOD.. and in this day and age am I ever thankful that each and EVERY LAST UNIT in the MILITARY has at least one, to pray for us- believers and non-believers- before we go into battle, because anyone who has ever been deployed should know that if you made it home alive, you didn't do it alone. Its because GOD protected you and he has a bigger plan for your life... this country was founded on GOD... so as the saying goes.... "ONE NATION UNDER GOD... INDEVISABLE AND JUSTCE FOR ALL"

8. SPC FIDALGO Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 7:41pm

   ... i believe in the one true living JESUS CHRIST... and the ACLU will NEVER be able to take that from me... and millions of others... GOD is a powerful and JUST GOD, for those who deny him, will also be denied into heaven.... i as a christian am not one to judge you, but i feel it is my duty to spread my faith... he is coming again soon and i will pray for all those lost souls who are in favor of taking HIS symbols off of public displays, and i will pray for those who wish to take HIM out of our school. Here is a quote from a song that displays GOD's strong love for his people- "NOW THEY WANT TO KICK HIM OUT OF SCHOOLS AND TAKE HIM OFF OUR MONEY... THEY CAN TAKE THOSE WORDS OFF OF PAPER AND STONE.... BUT HE AINT GONE.... HE AINT THE LEAVING KIND, HE'D NEVER WALK AWAY... EVEN FOR THOSE WHO DONT BELIEVE AND WANNA LEAVE HIM BEHIND.... HE AINT THE LEAVING KIND" - RASCAL FLATTS. just some food for thought... and to say there are "high ranking" military officials that support this..... who cares.... im in the military, and guess what- there are plenty of "HIGH RANKING" military officials that DO NOT support any such thing!!! They are called chaplan's... True men of GOD, PASTORS!!!... AMEN.... real men that serve not only their country... but the all mighty and powerful GOD.. and in this day and age am I ever thankful that each and EVERY LAST UNIT in the MILITARY has at least one, to pray for us- believers and non-believers- before we go into battle, because anyone who has ever been deployed should know that if you made it home alive, you didn't do it alone. Its because GOD protected you and he has a bigger plan for your life... this country was founded on GOD... so as the saying goes.... "ONE NATION UNDER GOD... INDEVISABLE AND JUSTCE FOR ALL"

9. Richard Sacca Says:
   Oct 10th, 2009 at 9:09pm

   The Cross stands for the Majority's beliefs, which if I remember my history, is the belief this country was founded on. Let's allow the minority to rule this country and when that happens watch this country be torn into a million different directions, all to satisfy YOUR wants and desires.

10. Annerackham Says:
    Oct 11th, 2009 at 2:48pm

    The symbol of the Cross goes way back out here in the heritage of the Spanish and Indio individuals who populated this land, and though we all know the brutality and arrogance which accompanied it, the Conquistadors and Black Brothers seem to fade beneath the broad brush of the Mexican melting pot( If a melting pot can have a brush). What I mean to say is the Mexican heritage of a great number of the first non-Amerind families who came to live here is a point of pride and connection to their past. The Latin Cross is a familiar and sacred symbol to many of them. Granted, as a memorial to ALL those who served in WWI, it is exclusionary and an afront to the non-Christian soldiers, but I believe no insult was meant. I am not a Christian, but I do admire the quiet faith I see in the "old-school" Catholics in this part of the country. They don't preach or prothelitize, and that which they revere is held apart from the common world.
    Of course, Scalia is a narrow-minded prig. That's been obvious from the start. He's so convinced of his rightous authority that he doesn't even notice his display of ignorance. I feel that he was personally insulted and reacted thusly.His brand of knee-jerk pontification is such a complete antithesis of the social grace of the gentle, hard-working people of the valleys, I'm embarassed for him.As my ex-mother-in-law might say, "A person here is rude and uncaring." But, that's social discourse, not the high and mighty pronouncemnet from afar.....the difference, I think, between a puffed up, non-justice (just us) and folks who know that courtesy and good manners help to get the job done.

11. Kelton Phillips Says:
    Oct 12th, 2009 at 8:23am

    Our founding fathers would be in total dismay to witness the path that this great country is headed down. This very subject is and was at the very core of the fundamental truths that birthed our nation in the first place. Why is that had the individual in question chose to use a star of David or someother religous symbol no one would have even took notice. This nation was founded on christian principles, the proof lyes within every historic document detailing our existance, and while I fully believe that all who choose to reside here in the "United States of America" should be allowed the opportunity of "Life , Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" that doesn't mean that their beliefs should be allowed to take precidents over the original beliefs this nation was founded on. WE ARE A CHRISTIAN NATION, like or not, if that doesn't set well with you, you are free to go as easily as you came back to the substandard conditions you came from. I'm sick and tired of all the retoric, quit wasting my tax dollars.

12. Joe the Barber Says:
    Oct 12th, 2009 at 9:11am

    Let's not go halfway, the US Congress is still using it's postage free right to send out Christmas cards and Christmas Day (Dec 25th) is still on the Federal Holiday list. Why???? No prayer in schools or sporting events. Restrictions on Christmas decorations????? Why???? Complete the job or put the Ten Commandments back on the walls!!!!

13. gabriel Says:
    Oct 12th, 2009 at 9:36am

    so tell me since when did the cross start offending people and their right to freedom of religion. just because some people dont like the cross there im sorry but this country has a basis of religion that started it so fuck off

14. Waste of time & money Says:
    Oct 12th, 2009 at 11:44am

    When will the ACLU realize that this nation, the greatest one in the world at present, was historically & factually founded on Judeo-Christian principles? What is wrong with "Thou shalt not kill"? "Honor they father and mother". . .? I think the ACLU has over stepped its original and good intent to protect the helpless but its current agenda is obvious and that is to destroy the nation from within by the decay of morals and twisting of truth.
    Leave the cross alone - its in a remote area, no one sees it, why do you care or should I say hate so much. Just another stepping stone to set a precedent? May all those who support this work with their donations come to their senses & realize all the vulgarities and injustices it stands for. No love for their country here.

15. Stephen Clark Says:
    Oct 12th, 2009 at 1:35pm

    The Roman (Christian) cross in the Mojave National Preserve definitely shows governmental favoritism toward the Christian servicemen who sacrificed their lives over the non-Christian servicemen who sacrificed their lives.
    I think that the reason Supreme Court Justice Scalia excuses the presence of the cross is because he is a Roman Catholic Christian. This case and other religious cases demonstrate his biased nature.

16. Liberal Hater Says:
    Oct 12th, 2009 at 2:58pm

    5 to 4 the cross will stay. Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Kennedy will defeat Ginsburg, Stevens, Breyer and Sotomayer. No matter what they rule on, whether that be standing or congressional procedure or the Constitutionality of the establishment clause I am convinced the cross will stay because the vote will hinge on Kennedy and Kennedy in the ten commandment cases said that the ten commandments can stay. Also, in the Mt. Soledad ross case he put a stay on tearing that cross down.

17. David Fillmore Says:
    Oct 12th, 2009 at 10:12pm

    shame shame shame on the ACLU concerning its relentless judicial moves to remove crosses around the country . . . now I understand the ACLU is trying to remove crosses from military cemetaries!! shame shame shame . . . you will lose and also lose respect for all your worthy causes.

18. John Says:
    Oct 15th, 2009 at 9:34am

    I like the American flag idea. And, let's keep the Christian Cross, that's what this country was founded for. We live in a christian Nation.

19. Will Says:
    Oct 16th, 2009 at 3:04pm

    #6 - the assertions made in the e-mail you reference are all false. In this Blog of Rights post, we set the record straight: http://blog.aclu.org/2009/10/13/the-aclu-and-religion-dont-believe-eve rything-you-read-on-the-internet/

20. Stephen Says:
    Oct 16th, 2009 at 8:48pm

    The only reason ACLU goes after Christian crosses is because ACLU is pro-Jewish. This also why ACLU never ever goes after Congress and the President when they defy the Constitution's Separation of Church and State by favoring the establishment of a particular religion when it comes to supporting the Jewish religion's nationalistic enterprise, Israel. ACLU is too Jewish biased to be objective about religious issues.

21. Don Says:
    Oct 17th, 2009 at 9:56am

    Instead of all the posturing against having the cross on that mountain, why not just install the symbols of the other religions that are evident in the United States, either then or now? Wouldn't that be a better arguement?

22. Stacey in TX Says:
    Oct 17th, 2009 at 2:48pm

    I agree w/Mr. Fillmore when he said that the ACLU loses respect for their worthy causes when trying to dismantle Christian crosses across this great nation--a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles. I thank God for the good men and women--both Christian and non-Christian--who still remember that our founding fathers created this nation with the belief that we are all endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights. But they never said--nor do a majority of Americans believe--that one of those inalienable rights was to cater to every whim of the minority at the expense of the majority. I'm glad that our country allows people to choose to worship in the religion of their choice--or to forgo religion altogether. But I am also glad that we are still a Christian majority. If you want Godless--go to Europe. For that matter STAY in Europe if you find their value system (or lack thereof) more to your liking.

23. Zelly Kurtlen Says:
    Oct 18th, 2009 at 12:04am

    INCORRECTLY WORDED ACLU WEB SITE POLL

    The recent poll at the ALCU web-site is worded incorrectly;

    "Do you agree that a war memorial featuring a stand-alone Latin cross serves to honor only Christian war dead?
    1. No, the cross is always a symbol of Christianity.
    2. Yes, the cross can be interpreted as a secular symbol.

    The first choice should read YES, the cross is always a symbol of Christianity. I contacted the voice mail of the ACLU office in NYC, after searching the site itself for an appropriate email address which I failed to find.

    Perhaps someone who has the power to correct this poll will notice this here?

24. Anonymous Says:
    Oct 18th, 2009 at 1:38am

    The ACLU is a %100 percent correct. This is not a "Christian nation“. Separation of church and state is paramount, and happens to be in the Constitution! Maybe is in the First Amendment because it is important. To address a few or the spurious arguments of previous commentors;

    Not all American traditions are sacred. Slavery was a tradition. Arguing that most people in this country are Christian, so that makes it legal to put Christian iconography on public war memorials is an insensitive and irrelevant argument.

    Since most of these comments are written by self-proclaimed Christians, I would like to ask if they would mind if a Muslim, Hindi, Buddhist or Jewish religious symbol was representing their loved ones grave ? You would? Well, that is how other people feel. Other people have feelings even if they don’t share your religious beliefs. Haven’t I read something about “Love thy neighbor?” It doesn’t say love thy neighbor just when they agree with you on everything, now does it?

    How ironic that someone brought up the Ten Commandments in this discussion about WAR memorials. Isn't there a little commandment
    (The first one, yes? ) that mentions something about “Thou shalt not kill? Don’t Christians preach "Do unto others..." and "Turn the other cheek?” and call Jesus the Prince of Peace?

    Another argument was leave everything alone, “because it is in a remote area, and nobody sees it.” Fascinating. So something that is wrong, hurtful and illegal is best left alone, because not that many people see it. Then it follows,according to this line of "reasoning", is alright to murder someone as long as no one, or at least not that many people see it, because the value judgment is based on how many witnesses there are to it. This is flawed thinking and I restraining myself here.

    Evolution is beautiful in its diversity. Many types of intelligence, or lack of intelligence are supplied. I keep reading that many people in this country do not believe in evolution. Thinking for one’s self has almost become a liability in this society. Perhaps it is the stupid who shall inherit the Earth.

25. Cee64D Says:
    Oct 19th, 2009 at 9:15am

    One of the great things about our nation is that anyone is welcome. This is true of Christians as well; anyone is welcome.

    Christ didn't die on the cross just for Christians or even just for Americans. He died to save the world. Everybody.

    The cross, to me, is just one symbol of our creators love for his creation. No matter what name you give to our creator, nor what symbol you follow, nor what book you read, that's one of the things most of us believe. Our Creator loves us.

    Anymore, all it takes is just one person with a gripe. One person to set the whole world on fire and all they have to say is "That Offends me" and everyone will start screaming "We can't allow this to happen..."

    You wanna know what offends me? Hate. It offends me that there are people in this country who hate me because I want to show my symbol, because my government wanted to show it to the world.

    So there's a cross on federal land (or formerly federal land, whatever). You can also find a Star of David on federal land, as well as the Crescent and Star. There are others too. I've seen a Native American sweat lodge on federal land. In fact I know of several areas of federal land where just about every single religion is represented. As a Christian, I have no problem with these other symbols. I believe there is one God and since I believe that then these symbols are His too.

    Why then is the ACLU so intent on destroying MY freedom to worship? I never hear about you going after any other religion BUT Christianity. Ever. What about MY freedom?

    My faith is inclusive. My views on faith are inclusive. In a nation where we are all supposed to be free to express ourselves and worship as we please, why is the ACLU trying to EXclude my faith and my expression of it? I really wish one of you legal-eagles would answer that, because I support most of what you do to protect us from a runaway government, but sometimes I think you pick a fight with people just to pick a fight. Why?

    When you fight to exclude everything that makes us individuals, when you fight to stifle free expression so that no one is offended by someone else, you will eventually get a people who MUST be all the same. How is this Free?

26. diane from nebraska Says:
    Oct 21st, 2009 at 12:28pm

    ill keep it simple ,,,,, I am offended by this crap of taking down crosses, not allowing prayer in public, and so on. But that doesnt seem to matter our goverment is protecting those offended by the cross or prayer ect... what happend to our rights?????? they dont exist as it might offend someone!! Why

27. HopefulUnderdog Says:
    Oct 22nd, 2009 at 9:41am

    Christianity is not a religion. It is a way of life. Religions are just sets of rules that different men have made up based on their personal beleifs and persuade others to believe with them. True Christianity has no rules. Therefore you can not outlaw it. It is in people's hearts. You can't touch it. It touches you. People are just going to have to realize that Satan does not like that and he is trying to do whatever he can to keep people from realizing that through all this petty little arguing scheme cooked up by the ACLU. If our country can't represent the "Lifestyle" it was founded upon then what's the point in living here. It seems all we want now is more money and more power. It just makes me sick at my stomach to see where we came from and where we are now.

28. Michelle Says:
    Oct 23rd, 2009 at 7:20am

    I think this case is ridiculous! I think people should have respect for the past. This cross (and replacement crosses) has been there for 75 years and represented more than a majority at the time it was erected. As mentioned in the article everyone has a choice now as to what type of "memorial" they would want. I can understand using something different to honor our veterans however, since the cross is what was initially elected at the time and was felt to be representative of our soldiers it should remain. Lastly, I'm sure there are very few of those soldiers still alive to fight on its behalf so I don't believe this is a fair fight. This was never an issue or a problem in the past and should note be now. Show some respect.

29. Anonymous Says:
    Nov 2nd, 2009 at 5:47pm

    I once read a bumper sticker said that said "As long as their are tests in school, there will be prayer in schools"
    Very wise, you think you can take your liberal ideas and denounce God and everything He stands for. It is organizations like this, that is causing the dismantling of this country. We should all fear the power that the aclu has acquired.

30. Anonymous Says:
    Nov 2nd, 2009 at 5:47pm

    I once read a bumper sticker said that said "As long as their are tests in school, there will be prayer in schools"
    Very wise, you think you can take your liberal ideas and denounce God and everything He stands for. It is organizations like this, that is causing the dismantling of this country. We should all fear the power that the aclu has acquired.

31. Wes in Oregon Says:
    Nov 5th, 2009 at 6:52pm

    It is Very Scary to think organization's like this have any pull what so ever. I am very sad to think this is what the world is coming to. You really shouldnt cry VICTIM everytime something doesnt go your way. People do need protection from Big Corps but this is way out of line!

    Sad, Very Sad

32. Levi in California Says:
    Nov 9th, 2009 at 3:16am

    In this case it seems to me the ALCU is trying to take freedoms away from us as a people, who are they to say that they represent the USA as a whole when they fight in court to have something our VETERANS put up taken down by saying it's discriminant!? They are disrespecting our veterans here, and they attempt to change the way our veterans believed when they put that cross up. Shame on the hypocrites.

33. joe graham in south carolina Says:
    Nov 12th, 2009 at 3:11pm

    What has happen to the ACLU, I thought that you guys stood up for the person and/or persons who's rights had been violated, as a veteran I have never ever heard another vet say anything about someone's religous rights or view's, we knew that was one of many things we had signed up to protect regardless of any religion that someone may believe. It is such a shame that any one person or group can have a say in what I believe, it is a shame that the common bond that our country was founded on and ran on for so many years has become a negative issue for some people and if you have noticed that since this has began such as taking prayer out of schools, and other public areas where people gather that things are becoming worst. To sum it up, we have let people with their own personal agenda's affect the many who do not agree with those decisions.

34. Anonymous Says:
    Nov 13th, 2009 at 12:17pm

    Leave the crosses alone and mind your own business..you certainly don't speak for the majority. THIS IS A CHRISTIAN country...get over it!!

35. Anonymous Says:
    Nov 13th, 2009 at 12:17pm

    Leave the crosses alone and mind your own business..you certainly don't speak for the majority. THIS IS A CHRISTIAN country...get over it!!

36. Courtney Says:
    Nov 15th, 2009 at 1:57pm

    This is a CHRISTIAN COUNTRY! This country was based on Christianity,and as the person who posted for number 35 has said GET OVER IT! I sent the ACLU an email talking about this & you know what my reply is? A LINK TO THEIR BLOG! Honestly, that's how you're gonna face the people who disagree with you? Oh, and I wrote the ACLU back early last week about that & guess what response I got back? NOTHING! Huh, who would've thought. You know what? Try & take that cross out! Try & keep us from praying! You might've gotten it to where my teachers can't pray, but guess what? My friends & I WILL keep praying before lunch.We will pray, we will worship our God, & you can't take that away from us.Try it, but I can promise you this.We will not let the ACLU win a case like the one they did back when there was prayer in schools.NOT ANYMORE!
    There is nothing wrong with a cross in the desert.It is not destroying the very fabric of America. It is simply a way to remember those who died so us Americans can have freedoms like the ones that you are trying to deny us! Would that mean that you can't put up a cross on the side of the road for someone who was killed? Honestly,you are over-reacting & I begin to wonder if your main goal is really freedom & liberty after all.

37. Dirce Says:
    Nov 16th, 2009 at 3:13pm

    I think the ACLU has lost sight of the original intentions why the ACLU was created for to begin with. They have become to powerful of an orginization, causing them to lose site of what they originally planned to try to do. It was for the betterment of people, can they say that a subject like this (removal of religous symbols) is for the betterment of people under the constitution? When they start to try to take all religous symbols down, then no religion wins. I like the saying "Good night and may YOUR GOD go with you." They should be willing to accept all religions and not just be against the ones at the top of the list. They are destroying what is a fundemental right by trying to get rid of the religous symbols!! The people came to the new world to practice religous freedoms, and not be punished for it. The constitution allows for religion, In God we trust!! is on the dollar. Leave it alone, and don't make my decissions for me. I want it to stay!!!

38. Anonymous Says:
    Nov 17th, 2009 at 1:32pm

    If the Cross is to be banned because a select few from another religion doesn't like it, then why isn't all religion banned from the U.S. altogether? There will always be someone who is offended by the actions of another. Are we to ban absolutely everything? If someone in New York does not like a Cross in say....New Jersey....DON'T GO LOOK AT IT ! I am offended by RAP Music...when are you guys going to get to work on banning it? Vegatarions don't like meat eaters, Non-Smokers don't like Smokers, Peon's don't like the Boss and so on...GET ON WITH SOMETHING IMPORTANT !

39. Meredith Says:
    Nov 18th, 2009 at 3:42pm

    I am a Christian. I am a child of God. This case makes me wanna put up a cross everywhere I go. Whatcha gonna do about it?? SUE ME??

40. Anonymous Says:
    Nov 19th, 2009 at 11:10am

    Send them cards on or before December 25 and make sure it has the word "Chrismas" in it - they will be forced to open each and every one in case a donation is enclosed - that will bog them down and hopefully open their eyes!

41. Anonymous Says:
    Nov 19th, 2009 at 2:07pm

    It is organizations like this that are dragging this country straight to HELL! It's a scary thought to think that these people obviously have a great deal of pull in our government and are successfully creating laws removing our GOD out of even the smallest places in this country. It saddens me to think about what our children are going to have to deal with in years to come.

42. Roger Says:
    Nov 19th, 2009 at 3:30pm

    I have seen very few men in combat with bullets flying around and seeing your friends die in a bomb blast not believe in God and pray to him before ever patrol. I wear a cross as several of my men did of different religions. Leave us alone! Things are bad enough when my daughter says she can't sing Silent Night in school, draw picture of Jesus, and pray before class. My son still doen't understand why there can't be a prayer before his football game asking to prevent injuries to both teams. I thought there was something in the constitution that said we had religious freeedom like my dad and mom did when they went to school. I guess you and group twisted the religious freedom some way made it illegal. Finally, are you telling me that removing God from schools has not brought in drugs,drop outs and everything else that is destroying our country. We will fight for our country, but it will die because of people like you. It is sad.

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