Atheists File Suit Against UHP Memorial Crosses

ABC 4 in Utah ^ | 12/1/2005 | ABC 4

[Andyman]

A lawsuit against memorial crosses is set to be filed Thursday by a group that feels they violate the separation of church and state.

Three Utah atheists, backed by a national organization based in Texas, are filing suit against the state for allowing crosses to be erected in honor of highway patrol troopers, who have died in the line of duty.

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

According to the UHP Association, a support group for troopers and their families, many fallen troopers' relatives consider the memorial crosses just as important as the tombstones that mark their graves.

Sgt. Todd Royce of the UHP Association told ABC 4 News, "It's a sense of pride, I think. It's a... kind of a sacred feeling."

The atheists suggest the association could honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol.

[July 4th]

The atheists suggest the association could honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol.

I suggest that the atheists shut the hell up.

[mewzilla]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

Okaaaay....I don't think you wanna go there, pard.

[trebb]

I would love a cross put up in my memory. All they have to do is offer to put up a puddle of scum (or any other icon they would enjoy) in memory of the atheists and all should balance out.

[Semper Paratus]

The atheists suggest the association could honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol.

Would "The Finger" satisfy them?

[FormerLib]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

Riiiiight, cause we know that Christians murdered some 6 million atheists and....

Oh wait, that was the atheistic Communists who murdered 100 million. Never mind.

[Edgerunner]

Why should they be so upset if they are so sure that GOD doesn't exist?

[FormerLib]

...honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol.

Does a simple cross have a denomination?

[AppyPappy]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

What a drama queen. I'm surprised he can leave the house without a diaper.

[atomicpossum]

So, it's the athiests' contention that being employed by the state removes your right to be represented, post mortem, by a religious symbol (I assume these men were Christian)?

Why not sue Arlington Cemetery?

[FormerLib]

All they have to do is offer to put up a puddle of scum...in memory of the atheists and all should balance out.

You show us where this boy gets buried and I'll bring the volunteers to set up that puddle of scum, sure enough!

[Just mythoughts]

"The atheists suggest the association could honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol."


They claim there is "no" God, yet here they are playing god.

[FormerLib]

I'm surprised he can leave the house without a diaper.

Someone needs to point out that you are referring to facts not in evidence.

[eeevil conservative]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

Okaaaay....I don't think you wanna go there, pard.

ah, c'mon....everyone knows how many Christians have set up concentration camps and gassed the eeevil athiests.... they must be traumatized beyond belief.....

[TChris]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

Well, that's only reasonable. After all, we know that millions of athiests have been systematically murdered by Christians. </gag>

[randog]

The atheists suggest the association could honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol.

If the troopers are non-denominational then use a non-denominational symbol. If the troopers are jewish, use the Star of David. If the troopers are muslim, use the Crescent thingy.

What's the friggin' problem here?

[eeevil conservative]

Woooops!

You beat me to it.... maybe I should read the WHOLE thread before responding....

nice to know we think alike....plus- you put it MUCH better than I did!

THANKS!!!!

[Mr. Keys]

If everything Christian offends the athiests, perhaps they all should find an athiest country and get the Hell out of here. They offend alot of people.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

I'll never understand why atheists are so offended by things they believe are false.

It's akin to me being offended by Easter Bunny decorations.

[atomic conspiracy]

"Richard Andrews said, 'I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika'"

Since he presumably hasn't killed anyone yet, Andrews has no idea how a Jew might feel under those circumstances. By word order, this jackass is equating the memorial with a swastika and the crosses with a state symbol. He isn't even trying to make sense. Some leftard Vietcong professor probably told him that lurid analogies would get media play and that appears to be all he knows. It's just more deranged hyperbole from the Left and more proof that they're out of ideas.

[Little Ray]

Just wait. Its coming.

[Andyman]

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking!

[GregoTX]

"Three Utah atheists, backed by a national organization based in Texas, are filing suit against the state for allowing crosses to be erected in honor of highway patrol troopers, who have died in the line of duty.

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

That has to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. Crosses erected to honor Highway Patrol Officers killed in the line of duty, offends these atheist idiots like a swastika offends Jewish people? I would like my foot to offend his a$$.

[mewzilla]

To paraphrase the poet, first the atheists will come for the Christians. Then the Jews. The Muslims. Et al. Any person of faith. Anyone who thinks his/her faith is safe will be sadly mistaken.

[BenLurkin]

Bump!

[sono]

Hey Atheists - Uncle Sam has a nondenominational symbol for you

[OpusatFR]

"The atheists suggest the association could honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol."

And violate the religious beliefs of the trooper and family?

Enough. The nazi comparison is just offensive and the idea that the cross is nazism is so bigoted and offensive, so demeaning to Christians, that this group of atheists should apologize.

[nicmarlo]

Three Utah atheists, backed by a national organization based in Texas, are filing suit against the state for allowing crosses to be erected in honor of highway patrol troopers, who have died in the line of duty.

Is this not ridiculous??

[trebb]

The article seems unclear: is the state erecting the crosses?

The Troopers work for the Stae, so one can assume the State is erecting the crosses in their memory.

Why do you ask?

[Right Wing Professor]

Speaking as a atheist, this protest is dumb. Assuming they also allow any reasonable form of memorial to accomodate non Christians, memorializing people with a symbol they found meaningful, be it Cross, Star of David, Crescent, or whatever, should offend no one.

[Abathar]

"I'll never understand why atheists are so offended by things they believe are false."

I would love to see this guy in a foxhole while being outnumbered 10 to 1 with no escape route... I truly wonder if he might not have a monumental change of faith.

[wideawake]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

And yet after saying this, this guy will probably expect other people to take him seriously.

He would probably be a lot of fun to bait in person.

[atomic conspiracy]

"Three Utah atheists.."

Must be all of 'em.

[SCALEMAN]

Why should they be so upset if they are so sure that GOD doesn't exist?

That has puzzled me for a long time. Any atheist who is secure in their belief that there is no higher power shouldn't be upset by seeing a symbol of someone else's beliefs.

I have concluded that the ones who protest don't want to be reminded that if they are wrong, then they made a huge mistake in judgement.

[DakotaRed]

1. Where is all this "tolerance" the left brags about?

2. When is some judge going to actually look at our constitution and see there is no Separation of Church and State" written into it? There is only no "State Religion!"

[eeevil conservative]

Hey!

Great pic- lol-- good to see you...

[Left Blue NJ for Red SC]

According to the UHP Association, a support group for troopers and their families, many fallen troopers' relatives consider the memorial crosses just as important as the tombstones that mark their graves.

Isn't THAT the whole point? Why they put up the crosses? To HONOR the fallen troopers. If THEY are Christian, why shouldn't they have a cross memorializing them?

I'll tell you what; if the complaining atheists die, I have no problem not marking their deaths at all. Harsh, but I am SO fed up with 1% or less of the population trying to secularize absolutely everything. Now even the honoring of CHRISTIAN people.

[JamesP81]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

The left considers the Cross to be morally equivalent with the swastika. That kinda says it all about them, doesn't it?

[mc6809e]

I suggest that the atheists shut the hell up.

I suggest Christians stop using the state to bully non-Christians.

This is the United States, not Iran.

[Polybius]

"The atheists suggest the association could honor the troopers with a non-denominational symbol."

What part of "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" do these people not understand?

The problem with America today is that liberals have replaced what the Constitution actually says with their own Cliffs Notes version of the Constitution.

[mc6809e]

Well, that's only reasonable. After all, we know that millions of athiests have been systematically murdered by Christians.

The sad thing is that you believe you're actually being sarcastic.

There was a time when Christians did indeed systematically kill atheists, and "witches", and all kinds of other non-Christians.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

(Why should they be so upset if they are so sure that GOD doesn't exist? )

I think it is jealousy, in that they want to be a small god and lack a huge amount of ability.

[mc6809e]

What part of "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" do these people not understand?

You're confused.

The state has no right to the free exercise of religion. That would be the same as establishing religion which is prohibited by the first amendment.

[fightnback]

"I suggest Christians stop using the state to bully non-Christians.

This is the United States, not Iran."

But who is bullying whom? It is the Athiests who are using the state to do the bullying. Name current legal cases that can back your claim.

[11Bush]

I suggest Christians stop using the state to bully non-Christians.

At first I was just going to ask you to point to all the data that backs up your claim.

Then I figured it would just be faster to call you an idiot and save us both a lot of time.

[fightnback]

"There was a time when Christians did indeed systematically kill atheists, and "witches", and all kinds of other non-Christians."


LIVE IN THE NOW!

[VRWCmember]

Richard Andrews said, "I feel the same way a Jew might feel if you put a state symbol on a swastika"

Well that settles it. After all, we should defer to little Dickie boy's feelings rather than respecting the troopers who have died in the line of duty. Dickie's feelings are much more important, even if they are driven by his insanely ignorant assumptions.

[TChris]

There was a time when Christians did indeed systematically kill atheists, and "witches", and all kinds of other non-Christians.

Yep, 6 million of 'em, just like the Nazis did.

Puh. Leeze. Not even close.

[Gone_Postal]

Three Utah atheists

Are they the majority