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Court: Crosses along Utah highways unconstitutional
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50132157-76/crosses-court-utah-highways.html.csp ^

Posted on 08/18/2010 12:05:00 PM PDT by roses of sharon

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that 14 crosses placed along Utah highways to honor fallen Utah Highway Patrol troopers violate the U.S. Constitution.

“We hold that these memorials have the impermissible effect of conveying to the reasonable observer the message that the State prefers or otherwise endorses a certain religion,” the Denver-based court said.

The decision is a victory for American Atheists Inc., a Texas group that sued to have the crosses removed from state property. It overturns a lower court ruling that said the crosses did not violate the federal or Utah constitutions.

American Atheists Inc., a Texas-based group that first filed suit on the matter in 2005. The atheist organization argued that the 12-foot-high crosses, along state highways, are religious symbols that should be removed because their being on public land is a violation of the First Amendment, which prohibits government establishment of religion.

(Excerpt) Read more at sltrib.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2heartbreaking4words; americanatheists; moralabsolutes; utah
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The commies strike again.
1 posted on 08/18/2010 12:05:01 PM PDT by roses of sharon
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To: roses of sharon

The courts are wrong and need to stay away from this.


2 posted on 08/18/2010 12:06:53 PM PDT by Cheetahcat (Zero the Wright kind of Racist! We are in a state of War with Democrats)
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To: roses of sharon

So, what does this portend for those wanting to erect small crosses in tribute to loved ones who died in automobile crashes?


3 posted on 08/18/2010 12:07:37 PM PDT by ScottinVA (The West needs to act NOW to aggressively treat its metastasizing islaminoma!)
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To: Cheetahcat

I’ll second that.


4 posted on 08/18/2010 12:08:34 PM PDT by edge919
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To: roses of sharon

They’d have no problem with the Crescent...liberals preach separation of [Christian] church and state only.


5 posted on 08/18/2010 12:08:47 PM PDT by Spok (Free Range Republican)
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To: ScottinVA

I bet those are out, too.

Damn these communists.


6 posted on 08/18/2010 12:09:04 PM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear (I don't have a 'Cousin Pookie'.)
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To: Cheetahcat

Getting close to the time of a grand divorce,
followed by complete disregard for “rulings” like this one.


7 posted on 08/18/2010 12:09:57 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: Cheetahcat

Are they also in favor of a mosque at ground zero?


8 posted on 08/18/2010 12:09:58 PM PDT by Ev Reeman
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To: roses of sharon

What be a theocracy and be like Saudi Arabia but for Jews and Christians?

I am very sick of these Commie maggots and throatcutters using our own laws against us.

I say deport them all.


9 posted on 08/18/2010 12:10:00 PM PDT by wac3rd (Somewhere in Hell, Ted Kennedy snickers....)
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To: roses of sharon

It would seem to me that the family of the deceased, should be able to decide this matter.


10 posted on 08/18/2010 12:10:06 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (UniTea! It's not Rs vs Ds you dimwits. It's Cs vs Ls. Cut the crap & lets build for success.)
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To: roses of sharon

Do we tear down Arlington National now?


11 posted on 08/18/2010 12:11:06 PM PDT by Sloth (Civil disobedience? I'm afraid only the uncivil kind is going to cut it this time.)
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To: roses of sharon

Forget “The free exercise there of”.
Forget “Shall not be infringed”.

NO, WE WON’T FORGET!

WE’ll REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER!


12 posted on 08/18/2010 12:11:17 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: roses of sharon

Yeah but erecting a victory mosque at ground zero is perfectly OK.


13 posted on 08/18/2010 12:11:44 PM PDT by Ben Mugged (Unions are the storm troopers of socialism.)
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To: Sloth

That’s next.


14 posted on 08/18/2010 12:12:14 PM PDT by Ev Reeman
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To: Sloth

That was my first thought. And every other military cemetary.


15 posted on 08/18/2010 12:12:14 PM PDT by doodad
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To: roses of sharon

The West Virginia Department of Highways had the state government pass a law that forbids the placing of small crosses along the roadside, marking the loss of a loved one. This has been the custom here in the hills for a hundred years. We just ignore the law. We put them up after dark. They take them down, we just put a new one in it’s place.


16 posted on 08/18/2010 12:12:37 PM PDT by Doulos1 (Bitter Clinger Forever)
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To: Sloth

Arlington will be declared unconstitutional once the libs pack the SCOTUS.


17 posted on 08/18/2010 12:13:21 PM PDT by Ev Reeman
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To: roses of sharon

But the 9/11 mosque is constitutionally protected “freedom of religion”. Uh huh. We are fast approaching the point, if not already there, where the only reasonable reset button for this country will be the hangman’s noose.


18 posted on 08/18/2010 12:13:28 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: roses of sharon

I am sick of memorials to death at the sites of the deaths. People should be remembered by their whole long lives, and not the accidental instant of death.

I am for markers to mark major accidents and fatalities as warnings, but only as long as the unsafe condition of the roadway is unchanged.

The court, however, gives an outlaw ruling. This is not some proper judicial outcome that follows the original meaning of the first amendment protection of religion.


19 posted on 08/18/2010 12:14:11 PM PDT by bvw
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To: roses of sharon
The decision is a victory for American Atheists Inc., a Texas group that sued to have the crosses removed from state property.

There are thousands of miles of privately held property bordering of Utah state roads. Find property owners to take possession of and display the crosses in places visible from the highways.

20 posted on 08/18/2010 12:14:19 PM PDT by Pontiac
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