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Utah: Atheists Sue Over Road Crosses For Troopers Killed In Line Of Duty
Local 6 (Florida) ^ | December 2, 2005

Posted on 12/02/2005 12:02:45 PM PST by Stoat

Atheists Sue Over Road Crosses For Troopers Killed In Line Of Duty

 

POSTED: 10:07 am EST December 2, 2005
UPDATED: 10:14 am EST December 2, 2005

 

A group of atheists in Salt Lake City is taking on the State of Utah and the Utah Highway Patrol over the law enforcement agency's use of crosses on roadways to memorialize troopers killed in the line of duty.

The lawsuit has triggered a debate about whether a cross is an appropriate way of honoring troopers killed in the line of duty. The American atheists filing the lawsuit said they respect the sacrifices the troopers have made, but they are offended by the used of what they call a religious symbol to honor them.

"Government should not endorse religion in general, nor should a government endorse a particular religion," attorney Brain Barnard said. "For a Jew to look at it, for a Muslim to look at it, for a Buddhist to look at it, they are not going to say that's a neutral symbol." There are about a dozen of the crosses all around Utah, with each one remembering a trooper who lost his life while on duty.

A spokesman for the Utah Highway Patrol said the crosses are an international sign of memorial and not just a religious symbol. "These were the people we have known in the past and we need to memorialize those people," Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd Royce said.

The attorney for those filing the lawsuit says it's inappropriate for the crosses to be on government land and the crosses should not have the UHP logo on them. The suit will be filed in Salt Lake's Federal Court.



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Utah
KEYWORDS: antiamerican; atheistagenda; atheists; crosses; firstamendment; moralabsolutes; religiousfreedom; tolerance; troopers
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Some people have WAY too much time on their hands
1 posted on 12/02/2005 12:02:46 PM PST by Stoat
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To: Stoat

IBFAA!


(in before Freeper athiests/agnostics)


2 posted on 12/02/2005 12:04:01 PM PST by rightinthemiddle (#1 Rule in Dealing with the Media, Democrats and Terrorists: Can't Please 'Em, so Don't Appease 'Em.)
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To: Issaquahking

Ping for later


3 posted on 12/02/2005 12:04:28 PM PST by Issaquahking (Isalm the religion of hate...If I were a koran reading radical muslim I'd kill you to prove it!)
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To: Stoat
Duplicate
4 posted on 12/02/2005 12:05:08 PM PST by Right Wing Professor
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To: Stoat
How about the crosses Sheehan's group uses to symbolize American solders killed in Iraq?
5 posted on 12/02/2005 12:06:00 PM PST by txroadhawg ("Stuck on stupid? I invented stupid! " Al Gore)
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To: Stoat

I understand what they're saying and why they're saying it - but the Cross is something more than an international symbol of 'memorializing'. It is without question a religious symbol and is an important declaration of the nature of those who died. If anything the officers should designate how they prefer to be memorialized upon their death. A star of david on the side of the road is just as appropriate as a cross as far as the officers are concerned.

I guess I'm saying that such watered-down positions do not preserve ground - they always give ground.


6 posted on 12/02/2005 12:07:34 PM PST by Frapster (Don't mind me - I'm distracted by the pretty lights.)
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To: Stoat

These wingnuts really need to just shut up. It should be left up to the surviving family whether it is appropriate or not. Maybe a Jewish officer's family would prefer a Star of David, or such, but people who worry about this stuff are just trying to stir things up in a vain attempt to make themselves feel important.


7 posted on 12/02/2005 12:07:40 PM PST by Pablo64 ("Everything I say is fully substantiated by my own opinion.")
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To: Stoat

How incredibly rude and tacky. Faith is all that's left when you die. If you haven't even the right to expression then, then you haven't the right ever. I guess that's the ACLU's point.


8 posted on 12/02/2005 12:10:31 PM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool; He is holy. Ps 99:5)
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To: Stoat

How many of these troopers were jews, muslims or buddhists? I'm sure the state could provide similar symbols for officers of other religions, Like a star for jews, a severed head for muslims etc etc.


9 posted on 12/02/2005 12:11:23 PM PST by Aznar5
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To: Stoat

"For a Jew to look at it, for a Muslim to look at it, for a Buddhist to look at it, they are not going to say that's a
neutral symbol."

Well, unless they're completely insensitive clods, they'll understand perfectly what this symbol means to the surviving family and friends. Good luck, by the way, getting people here in the Southwest to stop assembling these roadside shrines. You see them everywhere.


10 posted on 12/02/2005 12:13:31 PM PST by Sabatier
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

So what would the ACLU have us put in their place? Donuts?

Given their regard for the feelings of those most affected by their actions, it would seem like something they'd endorse.

The destruction of this organization is long overdue.


11 posted on 12/02/2005 12:14:21 PM PST by CheyennePress
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To: Aznar5
"severed head for muslims"


LOL
12 posted on 12/02/2005 12:15:03 PM PST by beef (Who Killed Kennewick Man?)
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To: CheyennePress
"So what would the ACLU have us put in their place? Donuts?"

The universal symbol of the Church of Homer.
13 posted on 12/02/2005 12:16:31 PM PST by beef (Who Killed Kennewick Man?)
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To: Sabatier

"For a Jew to look at it, for a Muslim to look at it, for a Buddhist to look at it, they are not going to say that's a
neutral symbol."

And that's why God put your head on a swivel.
Look away if ya don't like looking at it.


14 posted on 12/02/2005 12:17:14 PM PST by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: beef

Or a rock "dropped mysteriously" onto the ground.


15 posted on 12/02/2005 12:20:18 PM PST by Salamander (Cursed With Second Sight)
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To: Salamander

I know I'm not the only one out there would be just as likely to salute a Star of David as a cross? I'm not Jewish, but I thoroughly respect the value of a man's faith and what it means to his life. That a man gave his life to service to of his city, state, or country and that he found courage and sustenance in his faith is credit enough, and I can see the value in that in any man.

These people don't seem to get that.

Or maybe they do. I don't think you'd see this opposition to any symbol other than a cross.


16 posted on 12/02/2005 12:21:30 PM PST by CheyennePress
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To: Stoat

See the armadillo poop on the ground next to the cross? That represents the atheist religion. See? Everybody gets a symbol so it's all good.


17 posted on 12/02/2005 12:22:32 PM PST by siunevada (If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? - Peggy Hill)
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To: Stoat
I won't someone to make the argument they are "plus signs" and hear the ACLU et. al. fight against that.

The truth of the matter in the cross is nothing more than a cross and the SYMBOLIC INTEPRETATION is left up to each individual person.

How can it be illegal to interpret two perpendicular lines the way you see fit?
18 posted on 12/02/2005 12:23:17 PM PST by msnimje (Everyday there is a new example of the Democrats "Culture of Dementia")
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To: Stoat

I'd say key it to the religion of the Trooper, or the wishes of his or her family.

It WOULD be kind of inappropriate, for example, to have a cross for a Jewish Trooper's memorial.

I totally reject the rationalization, though. A cross is a Christian symbol, no two ways about it. I just don't see a problem with that.


19 posted on 12/02/2005 12:23:30 PM PST by RonF
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To: Stoat

I've travelled all across both of our countries...many states and many provinces...NEVER, i mean NEVER have i thought about a person's religion when i see a cross on the side of the highway...NEVER.

my thoughts( when i see a cross with flowers ) are gathered around a person's death and the mourning family or friends of that said person...not christianity.

pathetic.


20 posted on 12/02/2005 12:28:09 PM PST by kajingawd (" happy with stone underhead, let Heaven and Earth go about their changes")
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