Posted on 03/29/2013 2:51:59 PM PDT by ColdOne
U.S. District Judge Deborah Batts rejected the arguments of American Atheists, which had sued the National September 11 Memorial & Museum's operators in 2011 on constitutional grounds, contending that the prominent display of the cross constitutes an endorsement of Christianity, diminishing the contributions of non-Christian rescuers.
Batts wrote that the cross and its accompanying panels of text "helps demonstrate how those at ground zero coped with the devastation they witnessed during the rescue and recovery effort." She called its purpose "historical and secular" and noted that it will be housed at the museum in the "Finding Meaning at Ground Zero" section with placards explaining its meaning and the reason for its inclusion. It also will be surrounded by secular artifacts.
"No reasonable observer would view the artifact as endorsing Christianity," the judge said. She added that the museum's creators
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
Not to worry. Bloomie will see that it’s overturned.
Ditto what you said. And a judge at that! Yikes!
The should have housed it in front of the Mosque near ground zero.
I am shocked.
I am so blown away there is some one in NY with sanity.
Atheists don’t ralize that their atheism symbol equates to “nothingness”. Hell....that’s everywhere and nowhere.
Bump. The good guys win occasionally.
I would venture a guess there are more sane people here in NY than where you live.
Strange
Batts, Deborah A.
Born 1947 in Philadelphia, PA
Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Nominated by William J. Clinton on January 27, 1994, to a seat vacated by Richard Owen. Confirmed by the Senate on May 6, 1994, and received commission on May 9, 1994. Assumed senior status on April 13, 2012.
Education:
Radcliffe College, A.B., 1969
Harvard Law School, J.D., 1972
Professional Career:
Law clerk, Hon. Lawrence Pierce, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1972-1973
Private practice, New York City, 1973-1979
Assistant U.S. attorney, Criminal Division, Southern District of New York, 1979-1984
Associate professor of law, Fordham University School of Law, 1984-1994
Faculty, Corporation Counsel Trial Advocacy Program for the City of New York, 1988-1993 (intermittent)
Special associate counsel, Department of Investigation, New York City, 1990-1991
Well, she certainly made the right decision, and probably for the right reasons. But it’s sad that she had to pretend that the cross has no religious meaning and is purely secular. That’s bunk.
It certainly had religious meaning for the people who put it there, and I think the judge knows it. But in the backward world we currently live in, she’s not allowed to speak the truth.
Wow! Even a judge who was Batts saw the wrong in the lawsuit.
God Bless you Judge Batts! A very sane, reasoned ruling. It’s sad nobody can do ANYTHING anymore without there being a ‘ruling’ it. Take THAT Mayor Gloomberg.
Indeed
Don't ever lose hope.
U.S. District Judge Deborah Batts rejected the arguments of American Atheists, which had sued the National September 11 Memorial & Museum's operators in 2011 on constitutional grounds, contending that the prominent display of the cross constitutes an endorsement of Christianity, diminishing the contributions of non-Christian rescuers.
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