JUDGE MOORE'S REFUSAL; JUDGE PRYOR NOMINATED FOR CIRCUT COURT; DEMOCRATES FILIBUSTER (MY TITLE)

Judge Holds Firm, Won't Remove Ten Commandments Sculpture Steve Brown Staff Writer

(CNSNews.com) - The man at the center of the Ten Commandments dispute in Alabama remained defiant Thursday in the face of a federal court order to remove a sculpture of the commandments from the state judicial building in Montgomery.

"I have no intention of removing the monument of the Ten Commandments and the moral foundation of our law," said Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore at a press conference in the lobby of the judicial building. "To do so would in effect be a disestablishment of the justice system of this state. This I cannot and will not do."

Moore said he would file a writ of prohibition and mandamus with the U.S. Supreme Court directing U.S. District Court Judge Myron Thompson, who wrote the decision ordering the Ten Commandments' removal, "to stop this wrongful interference with state government." If approved, it would bar Thompson from attempting to remove the sculpture.

The move set off immediate sparks of protest from groups devoted to what they refer to as "the separation of church and state." Rob Boston, assistant director of communications for Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), called Moore's refusal to remove the Ten Commandments monument "discouraging."

"He (Moore) wanted his media circus; well, he's going to get it," Boston told CNSNews.com, adding that such a spectacle was also "important" to other Alabama government officials, particularly Republicans Gov. Bob Riley and state Attorney General William Pryor.

Pryor has been nominated by President George W. Bush to fill a vacancy on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the same court that upheld Judge Thompson's decision, but U.S. Senate Democrats are conducting a filibuster to prevent Pryor's nomination from coming up for a vote.

On Thursday, Moore addressed the challenge facing him and other top Republicans in the state.

"Not only will Judge Thompson be served with this writ of prohibition, but also all state officials who have been served with (Thompson's) notice of his injunction (to remove the sculpture), will be served as well," Moore said. "I will uphold my oath to the Constitution of the United States as well as the Constitution of the state of Alabama. It yet remains to be seen what other state officials will do who have been served in the face of this abuse of power, for each of them has also taken an oath to the Constitution of the United States."

Moore's refusal to remove the Ten Commandments sculpture further complicates Pryor's ability to win Senate confirmation as a circuit court judge. Pryor, as the chief law enforcement officer in the state of Alabama, is duty-bound to carry out court rulings. And any refusal to remove the Ten Commandments monument would further prove his unfitness for the bench, Pryor's critics say.

Recently, AU attacked Pryor for designating two attorneys representing Moore in the Ten Commandments dispute as deputy attorneys general. According to press reports, Pryor bestowed the title upon the lawyers because they were representing a state official. Pryor's office did not return calls to CNSNews.com Thursday.

"I think the bottom line is: Bill Pryor needs to rein in his appointees who seem to think that Judge Moore doesn't need to obey a federal court order," AU Executive Director Barry Lynn told NBC13.com in Birmingham when asked why he wrote a letter to Pryor protesting the deputization. "It is an outrageous position for any deputy attorney general to take. They are on the record. They do not think a federal court order applies to them."

As for Moore's latest move in the Ten Commandments case, Boston called it "legal hot air."

"I'm confident that all of this will end with that monument of the Ten Commandments being removed," Boston said.

But Tom Hinton, director of state relations at the Heritage Foundation, dismissed criticism of Moore, saying he was on "solid ground" as far as the question of states' rights was concerned.

"He's not kooky, he's on solid constitutional grounds," Hinton told CNSNews.com. "I wish more states would take such a stand."

Moore said he would "in the very near future" also file a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the court to hear an appeal of the lower court case called Glassroth v. Moore. The Thompson order gave Moore until Aug. 20 to remove the statue and warned that if he refused, fines up to $5,000 per day could be levied against Moore, "and thus the state of Alabama itself, until the monument is removed."

Rallies in support of Moore's position are planned for Saturday, Aug. 16, and Wednesday, Aug. 20 - Thompson's deadline.

"This is going to be a rallying point against all of those who have been trying in every way they can to drive [out] all expression of faith and...establish in essence a religion of atheism in our society," former Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes told CNSNews.com this week. Keyes plans to attend Saturday's rally in Montgomery.

"I think the battle lines are drawn, and what's clear is that...we have got to fight back. For too long, the people of this country have been willing to allow this destruction of their basic right to religious freedom. For decades, we have allowed its erosion and the open assault against it, and it's got to be stopped now, or we will have to answer to future generations for allowing one of the most seminal and fundamental rights of liberty to be destroyed, and if it goes, quickly thereafter fall all the rest."

The group American Atheists has also scheduled a counter-rally in Montgomery on Saturday.

Expose these ATHEISTS like "REV" Barry Lynn!!

Can anyone do research on Lynns background??? Boston's background?? How did we let God be taken out of this country??? By NOT PROTESTING and EXPOSING these creeps.

If the learned judge holds firm in spite of prison, fines, mockery and the raging of hells minions he is quite a man! Further, he presents quite a problem-on its face at least- for the "Supremes."

I am disgusted by the fact that so much resistance to the federal courts is being mounted in order to preserve some carved stones. Where has the resistance been from the STATE JUDGES, and the GOVERNORS, when the Supreme Court and the federal courts have declared that no one in the state governments is to interfere when babies are being murdered?

Since no laws may be written regarding religion(s), I don't see by what authority the court can act. I would interpret that to mean that people or groups (including elected officials) may do whatever they want in the way of religion, just as long as they don't try to make any laws, one way or the other, regarding religion.

Its time we pushed back...

The Captial in DC is replete with Christian symbols- yet the ACLU doesnt bother going after the congress ,the senate, or the white house and demanding they take down their Christian symbols why is that?

Because their goal is clear and their method is incrementalism...one small victory at a time..as they shut off the consciences of all Americans....make it that this is no big deal...done all the time...

Take God out...interject marx mohamed gaia baal satan or atheism no other religon invokes as much hatred by the ACLU and the Anti American People for the American Way as the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob...God the Son God the Father and God the Holy Spirit send them howling..

They are the enemies of our nation as much as the terrorists of 09-11 ..they are not the loyal oppostion...they are a fifth column

Other comments here if anyone interested......

Judge Holds Firm, Won't Remove Ten Commandments Sculpture ^
			Posted by kattracks On 08/15/2003 5:32 AM CDT with 20 comments CNSNews.com ^ \| 8/15/03 \| Steve Brown (CNSNews.com) - The man at the center of the Ten Commandments dispute in Alabama remained defiant Thursday in the face of a federal court order to remove a sculpture of the commandments from the state judicial building in Montgomery. "I have no intention of removing the monument of the Ten Commandments and the moral foundation of our law," said Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore at a press conference in the lobby of the judicial building. "To do so would in effect be a disestablishment of the justice system of this state. This I cannot and will not...

"I will uphold my oath to the Constitution of the United States as well as the Constitution of the state of Alabama. It yet remains to be seen what other state officials will do who have been served in the face of this abuse of power, for each of them has also taken an oath to the Constitution of the United States."

Judge Moore speaks and acts on the truth.

B I N G O !

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