Posted on 08/22/2003 4:25:33 AM PDT by kattracks
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama's top judge refused to back down in his fight to keep a Ten Commandments monument and lashed out at his colleagues who ordered it removed from the rotunda of the state judicial building."I will never deny the God upon whom our laws and country depend," Chief Justice Roy Moore said in a fiery defense of the 5,300-pound granite marker, as supporters cheered and prayed on the building's steps.
The monument was still in the building's rotunda early Thursday evening, and court officials did not say when or where it would be moved.
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson, who had ruled the monument's placement violated the Constitution's ban on government promotion of a religious doctrine, has said it could be moved to a private place still within the building. He had threatened $5,000-a-day fines if Moore left the monument in the public rotunda.
Moore installed the monument two years ago and contends it represents the moral foundation of American law.
"Not only did Judge Thompson put himself above the law, but above God as well," Moore told his supporters Thursday.
The chief justice had appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency stay of the removal order, but the court rejected it Wednesday. Moore said Thursday he would file a formal appeal with the high court soon "to defend our constitutional right to acknowledge God."
"I cannot forsake my conscience," he said.
His supporters, meanwhile, promised to block any effort to remove the monument.
"We will kneel at the doors. We will prevent forklifts or trucks from coming in," said Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, which is organizing around-the-clock demonstrations.
Moore's eight colleagues on the state Supreme Court intervened after Thompson's midnight deadline for removing the monument passed and the monument remained. In ordering the monument moved, the justices said they were "bound by solemn oath to follow the law."
Justice Gorman Houston said all eight instructed building manager Graham George to "take all steps necessary to comply" with the removal order. George declined to comment when asked when, how or where the monument would be moved.
Attorney General Bill Pryor filed a notice with the federal district court after the justices' issued their order and said he believed that would remove any risk of fines.
Taxpayers "should not be punished for the refusal of the chief justice to follow a federal court order," he said.
A partition was put in front of the monument early Thursday but was removed after about three hours. Houston said the building manager may have erected it to comply with the order.
Gov. Bob Riley said in a statement that he supports public displays of the Ten Commandments, but also supports the decision of associate justices to "uphold the rule of law."
In his speech Thursday, Moore said he was "disappointed with my colleagues" and lashed out at "this so-called rule of law" that they cited. He said such blind obedience would have allowed slavery to continue.
Richard Hahnemann of Huntsville, the monument's sculptor, said he expects voters to remember what the justices did come election day.
"They have their opinion. Justice Moore was elected by the people to do what he did," Hahnemann said.
Richard Cohen, an attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Center — which sued along with the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State — praised the eight justices.
"Their courageous actions reflect that Justice Moore is a disgrace to the bench and ought to resign or be removed from office," Cohen said.
Still, protesters outside the building said they were willing to stand in the Alabama heat and risk arrest for days or weeks to keep the monument inside. Twenty-one were arrested Wednesday night on trespassing charges for refusing to leave the monument when the building was closing.
Stephen Hopkins, pastor of Burnet Bible Church in Burnet, Texas, was one of those arrested. He said he was willing to be arrested even though he has 10 children.
"This is a great hypocrisy," Hopkins said. "This is an assault on God. They're saying we're going to cover up God."
We've travelled the northern Gulf coast, following the ICW, from around Carrabelle FL to past Bay St. Louis MS, and we really did like the Bon Secour/Gulf Shores area the best. Panama City--because they're accomodating to sailors--is 2nd on my list, but Pensacola is 2nd on my hubby's list. Because we can pick and choose where we want to live, we had a number of factors on our list, but at the top of the list was whether we felt comfortable living in that area, and, from the people we met in the Bon Secour/Gulf Shores region, they went out of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. Good people.
Its the trained "pastors" that have managed to separate God from the people. Its the "Trained Pastors" that teach that any relationship you wish to have with God must be hidden from the publics view - so what good is the light of God if it must be hidden from the public's view?
I know your answer, but the hypocracy of your answer is simple hubris - even Buchanan would recognize it as such.
...don't you talk about loyalty to Freepers, pal.
There are Frrepers out there protesting at the courthouse, supporting Moore's stance, and opposing the liberals and the ACLU, as they should be. What is sickening is that behind their back they have you and the rest of the fifth columnists, sneering at and undermining their efforts. So just don't talk about loyalty, okay? That word in your mouth is obscene.
Uhh... did you even read the post? I'm saying my loyalty is definitely NOT to FReepers. I am agreeing with you there. Stabbing them in the back? The front, maybe, as I was never on their side in this pride-filled effort which is all about themselves and nothing about Christ (that Part of the Bible you don't enjoy hearing about).
Hey, c'mon.
You guys aren't in one of your restrooms, now.
You just can't help outing yourself, gen'l. The only reason I am and will be acceptable to God is because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you, very apparently, believe you can only be acceptable to God because of what you do and what you don't do.
That describes salvation by works, which is strongly condemned in the Bible. You should be spending more time looking in your own eye then gouging out Chief Justice Moore's eye.
Hey, I know.
I just checked out your FR page- a catty, self-serving trophy room displaying posts from all the Freepers you don't like. Creepy stuff, bud.
Creepy stuff? You mean like "conservative" FReepers who say they support forced abortions in China and predict that the President will be dead soon?
No, I just don't believe that being saved by grace gives one carte blanche to behave in any manner you see fit, acting any way you want simply because you think that you have gained special dispensation from above. Saved by grace, you bet - but you still gotta act like it. Being saved doesn't mean you get to be a jerk deliberately without facing any consequences.
Roy's still a young-ish man - plenty of time for him to figure this out, I guess.
Funny you say that because I believe entirely in the Reformed interpretation of the Bible, and I think works are every bit what Moore and the people conducting this circus are about.
No. I mean your FR page is creepy stuff.
Creepy.
Really.
Keep 'em coming, Blunty.
Always intriguing, when a poster drops the veneer of civility, and gives us a glimpse into the putrescence beneath.
Hey, c'mon. You guys aren't in one of your restrooms, now.
Now put you microphone down and walk away.
One of the dumbest statements I have ever read in this forum.
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