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."
In our country in our time we the people are the governing authorities. We have the God-given right as well as the obligation to participate in matters touching on our own governance. If we are not "activist" in seeking to discharge this God-given right to conform government to a moral model, what are we?
"And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine."
Thanks for bringing up the key subtext on this one.
It's okay for the Supremes to decide the 'religious' inscription must be removed, when their own Court is covered in the very same writings. They're in DC, untouchable.
But those Alabama yokels have got to be watched.
I love the FReepers who have no concept of choosing their battles, wisely.
In this case, Byron, I can tell you that Roy Moore's "values" are "under assault" from a lot of Bible-believing, Evangelical Christians as well.
You were...'embarrassed with your state', because your governor had an affair?
LOL!! Grow up, mate.
Yeah, and "we the people" have put judges in place that have decided at every level of this that Roy Moore is wrong. I was all for his attempt to keep the monument there and disagree with the ruling, but "we the people" have set up laws that aren't his to choose whether to obey or not.
Do you?
I'll admit I can't stand the dilettantes, who pompously hold forth while others are battling. Freepers are supporting Moore, y'know, right there at the courthouse. Having fifth columnists back here must be a real kick in the guts for them. But that's OK. Just keep the hot air coming, while others are at the front, fighting the good fight.
It's all about you, right?
Citation?
No hot air at all. Ultimately, it's their choice. They are wrong though. I notice you still haven't shown me how this changes lives for Christ in any way.
No trouble at all.
You are so up yourself, as we say Downunder, that you worried your Governor's affair might somehow tarnish your own prestige. And that makes you a grade A wanker, to continue the lesson in Australian.
I disagree with the summary though because I believe most conservatives, and definitely the main conservative leaders in this country, are not on board with this. FR is not very typical of most conservatives on several topics, and this is one of them.
Don't you usually post your S/M pics on AOL?
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