Chuck Baldwin: The Blackout of 2003 Is In Montgomery, Not In New York and Cleveland

Food For Thought From The Chuck Wagon August 19, 2003 All weekend, the major media saturated America's news outlets with the story of the massive power outage in parts of New England and the Midwest. While this is a major story, it pales into insignificance when compared to those events currently unfolding in Montgomery, Alabama. What is happening at the Alabama capitol will literally determine the future of this country for the foreseeable future. Yet, the establishment press has virtually blacked out the story.

The issue is simple, albeit profound. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is refusing to remove a monument containing the Ten Commandments from the Alabama Supreme Court building as ordered by a federal judge. His defiance is justified, yea, constitutionally required!

For one thing, Moore is acting within the constitution of the State of Alabama, which he took an oath to support. Furthermore, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the federal government from interfering in these matters and actually guarantees Moore's, and everyone else's, freedom in this regard.

It is more than ironic that the same U.S. Supreme Court that would deny the Alabama Supreme Court the right to display a monument to the Ten Commandments in its building has the very same Ten Commandments engraved conspicuously in the wall above the U.S. Chief Justice in the federal Supreme Court building! Talk about hypocrisy! However, the fundamental issue in this case is even more significant than these truths.

The real issue is this: is America founded upon and subservient to the laws of God? Judge Moore and America's Founding Fathers say yes. Today's federal courts say no. That, in a nutshell, is the bottom line of this whole fight. Will America acknowledge its dependence and subservience to God, or will it declare itself to be above God's laws and declare the state to be god? That is what the Moore case is going to decide.

Any thinking person should immediately recognize that the outcome of the Judge Moore case is going to determine the course and direction, not to mention results and ramifications, of this country for at least the next 50 years.

If the U.S. Supreme Court, to which this case is being appealed, rules against Moore, it will have ruled that America is not founded upon the laws of God and, therefore, is not subject to God's laws. At that moment, America will have officially repudiated its founding principles and will have officially become a godless state. That is what hangs in the balance for this country.

As significant as the Moore case is to the future of America, the major media continues its deliberate blackout of the story. Beyond that, the vast majority of our elected representatives are also mute and dumb on the subject. Where are all of the so-called conservative Republicans? They have run like roaches from the light to avoid this issue! Furthermore, where is President Bush on this fight? His silence on the subject is deafening!

One thing is sure: Judge Moore, like America's great patriots of old, has drawn a line in the sand for this country. There can be no neutrality and no compromise.

However, if the American people want to come to the assistance of Judge Moore, they are going to have to do it without the help and assistance of the major media, our elected leaders, and even without the help of the vast majority of our religious leaders. There's a blackout in 2003 all right, but it's not in New York or Cleveland; it's in Montgomery, Alabama.

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to withhold funds from any enforcement action related to a federal appeals court's decision that the Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama judicial building is unconstitutional.

By a vote of 260-161, lawmakers last week OK'd an amendment by Rep. John N. Hostettler, R-Ind., to prohibit any money in the bill funding the Justice Department from going to enforcement of the controversial decision. House rebuffs court on 10 Commandments

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States secures rights against laws respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof made by the United States Government. Ten Commandments Defense Act of 2003

The Framers of the Constitution deliberately withheld, in the main body of that document, any authority for the Federal Government to meddle with the religious affairs or with the free speech of the people. Then, as further and more specific protection for the people, they added the first amendment, which includes the `establishment clause' and the `freedom of speech clause' which are as follows: `Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech . . .'. It is of utmost importance to note that the first amendment is not a grant of authority to the Federal Government. To the contrary, it is a specific restriction upon the exercise of power by the Federal Government. Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Conservatives and libertarians who once viewed the judiciary as the final bulwark against government tyranny must now accept that no branch of government even remotely performs its constitutional role. ...It's time for the executive and legislative branches to show some backbone, appoint judges who follow the Constitution, and remove those who do not." --Ron Paul 13 August 2003, Federalist No. 03-33, Wednesday Chronicle

The following explains why judge Myron Thompson is wrong:

The electorate must demand that Congress act in accordance with the testimony presented in Congress, the Court, and the Constitution

According to The Birmingham News, seventy percent of respondents support Chief Justice Moore's granite display, which includes the Ten Commandments, and statements from our nation's Founding Fathers that document America's Christian heritage. Only twenty percent disapprove of the monument's display, which was privately funded by Chief Justice Moore, and cost the taxpayers of Alabama nothing. The other ten percent were unsure. Tom Gordon, "Poll: Most back Moore on Ten Commandments," The Birmingham News, September 15, 2002

Police would not estimate the size of the crowd, which appeared to be several thousand people, possibly as many as 10,000.

After the rally hundreds of people walked several blocks to the judicial building, where they lined up to view the monument inside. Some debated with about 35 atheists holding a counterprotest across the street. Thousands Rally In Support Of Ten Commandments Monument

Chuck Baldwin misses a couple of points (and makes others). For one thing, Republicans haven't been silent. The House has already voted to withhold funds from any enforcement against Judge Moore, and may vote to remove federal authority from the ten commandments issue altogether.

For another, there is more to this issue than the religious overtones.

For years, there has been a trend by activist judges to base their decisions more on earlier court rulings than on the letter of the law itself.

Judge Moore is highlighting that fact, and forcing this point to the forefront of judicial and legislative attention.

In particular, he is pointing out that the letter of the law says, in this case (i.e. the 1st Amendment) "Congress shall make no law...", and Judge Moore is neither Congress nor is he making any new law establishing or respecting a religion. On the other hand, he is displaying his own ten commandments in his office building, something that the Alabama state Constitution permits (i.e. a 10th Amendment issue of states' rights) as well as that the 1st Amendment prohibits government interference **against** (ie. freedom of religion).

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