Posted on 02/06/2004 11:38:09 AM PST by RJCogburn
The Ten Commandments monument that led to Roy Moore's expulsion as Alabama's chief justice remains in storage, but the Alabama Judicial Building unveiled a new display of the Decalogue that has satisfied some critics.
The 5,300-pound granite monument ruled by a federal judge a violation of the First Amendment is just yards away from an exhibit featuring the Commandments with seven other historical documents that helped form the basis of Western law, WSFA-TV in Montgomery, Ala., reported.
Moore, who has argued his monument is a fulfillment of the Alabama constitution's requirement that its public officials acknowledge God, said the new display does not pass muster.
"They've reduced the acknowledgment of God to a historical display, and instead of moving it in a closet they have surrounded it with historical documents to reduce it to a museum setting," he said, according to WAFF-TV in Huntsville, Ala.
In November, Alabama's nine-member Court of the Judiciary voted unanimously to oust Moore for defiance of U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson's order to remove monument he installed in the rotunda of the state courthouse two years ago. Moore has appealed the decision, arguing it sets a "dangerous precedent" that requires judges to deny their oath of office by barring acknowledgement of God, which is stipulated in Alabama's constitution.
Thompson ruled the monument is an unconstitutional promotion of religion by the government. Moore, noting the First Amendment says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," argues his monument has nothing to do with Congress making a law. He points out the Ten Commandments are part of the country's moral foundation.
Acting Chief Justice Gorman Houston said the new display is intended simply to help the school children who visit the judicial building learn about Western law, WSFA reported.
While Moore remained unimpressed with the new display, one of his most active supporters, the Christian Coalition of Alabama, welcomed it.
"Today, it gives me great pleasure to see the constitutional public display of the Ten Commandments back in the Alabama Judicial Building," said the group's President John Giles.
He noted a poll last year by the Mobile Press Register and University of South Alabama showed 77 percent of the state's residents approve of Ten Commandments displays.
"In the wake of the federal court order removing the Ten Commandments monument, this act today by the Alabama Supreme Court is welcomed by the Christian Coalition of Alabama and again focuses on the moral foundation of our law in the public square," Giles said.
As WorldNetDaily reported, Moore is focused on his appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court but indicated he would not rule out a third-party candidacy for president and possibly a run for Alabama governor.
"Anything is possible," said Moore's spokeswoman Jessica Atteberry. "However, until the appeal process has been run through, he'll make no decision for political office."
Perhaps, but when the day of judgement comes, it will be "nutcases" like him that fight the good fight...
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