[lugsoul]

Impenetrable logic, except for the meddlesome 14th Amendment. There is not a learned judge in the nation, from Scalia on down, who believes that the states can violate the prohibitions of the 1st Amendment at will.

[Mr. Bird]

How does the posting the Ten Commandments violate the first? What religion does it establish, or even favor?

Again, the amendment reads "Congress shall make no law..." The judge isn't even a lawmaker. And if the posting of the Ten Commandments by any government official is tantamount to establishing religion, I'd like to ask which particular religion that would be? After all, the commandments are a pre-Christian artifact. Do they in some way establish Judaism?

[Tax-chick]

The state hasn't passed a law, either. This is about imposition of Federal power, what else is new?

Judge Moore's having the Ten Commandments up in the courtroom is a statement, in effect, "I'm a religious person while functioning in my official position." He could write those words on poster board and tape it to the wall, but it wouldn't be as decorative.

The opposition is aimed as his message, and in general at the presence of religious values in public life. This is the same fight we're having over the Federal judges - thought control by the secularists.

[xzins]

As Moore said, he is a judge in Alabama and he is not the US Congress. That certainly is clear. Nor is he the legislature of Alabama. It is also clear that no law has been passed. He chose to set up a monument in his courthouse.

He argues that is the true God is not over the laws of the land, then that means that human beings are supreme. If they're supreme, then hold onto your hat because they'll someday pass a law that says they can legally steal your hat.

And to whom will you then appeal for justice and rights?

[Centurion2000]

There is not a learned judge in the nation, from Scalia on down, who believes that the states can violate the prohibitions of the 1st Amendment at will.

Funny but they seem entirely comfortable with letting states violate the 2nd amendment at will ...

[rcofdayton]

The Bill of Rights only applies to limit the federal government. That's how the federal courts interpreted it for over 150 years. A few states had established religions after the ratification of the Bill of Rights. (However, by about 1804 no states had an established religion.) The federal courts began to hand down a series of decisions selectively applying the Bill of Rights to the states. Guess which Amendment was never applied to the states. The Second Amendment! The eastern intellectual elites did not favor the second amendment so they left that one off the list.