City of San Diego Orders 29-Foot Cross Removed from Mountainside

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | March 9, 2005 | Matthew T. Hall

[Crackingham]

The Mount Soledad cross must go, the San Diego City Council said yesterday.

The 16-year saga of whether the cross would stay on public land in La Jolla came to an emotional conclusion last night as the council voted 5-3 to reject a last-ditch effort to keep it in place.

The vote capped a six-hour public hearing that attracted 350 people, most of them Christians who urged the council to donate the cross and surrounding land to the federal government so it possibly could remain where it has stood since 1954.

But the cross now must be moved to comply with an injunction forbidding its presence on public land. Federal Judge Gordon Thompson Jr. issued the injunction in 1991, when he ruled that the cross violated the state Constitution's guarantee of separation between church and state. Thompson had left it to the city and the lawyers in the case to resolve the matter.

In the latest court decision in the case, a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2002 that the constitutional violation still existed when it struck down the city's second attempt to sell the land to a private buyer.

"This is definitely the first page of the final chapter, and I don't expect the final chapter to last another five years," lawyer James McElroy said last night. "I think we are at the end of the line here."

McElroy represents Philip Paulson, one of two atheists who filed the original lawsuit against the city in 1989.

He said attorneys for the city as well as the group that maintains the cross and Paulson will meet soon to finalize plans for when and where to move the cross, which stands 29 feet tall on top of a 5-foot-high base. McElroy said he would call the City Attorney's Office today, and that the cross could be moved within 90 days.

[todd1]

LOL

[verity]

The continuing saga of the land of fruits and nuts.

[TwoWolves]

Too bad they didn't have a lawyer with a spine there, who would point out to that moronic judge that separation of church and state ISN'T IN THE CONSTITUTION! The liberals just want you to believe it is.

[Kewz1]

There is help:

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

II Chronicles 7:14

[peteram]

I believe the site is owned by the Diocese of Saint Augustine. The cross sits on land adjacent to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche and a Catholic cemetery, church and religious store.

So that cross will likely be there for a long time.

- Pete

[Renegade]

There is no Constitutional violation because there is nothing IN the Constitution that describes or mentions separation of church and state .

[1john2 3and4]

What you said.

Proust said it this way;
"It has been said that the highest praise of God consists in the denial of Him by the atheist, who finds creation so perfect that he can dispense with a creator."

:)

[kellynla]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were a class action lawsuit filed to prohibit the removal of the cross. This fight must be taken up. And the sooner the better.

I agree with Mark Levin, term limit the Supremes and eliminate the 9th Circus.

I expect Christians throughout America will start erecting huge crosses and ten commandments on their property.

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[massgopguy]

One of my Parish's Priests who is studying at Catholic Univ. told us of his drive down the Ventura Highway. He passed three signs in a row. San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Cruz. His name!

[blues_guitarist]

May God have mercy on us all!

[Mathews]

I'm a middle of the road citizen of a great country, state and community. I'm on active duty in the Navy and I'm Republican. I'm writing because I just heard about Philip Paulson and his court battle with the city of La Jolla, California concerning the display of a 29 foot cross that has stood since 1954. I cannot stand idly by with out making a comment.

I wonder if he was ever taught tolerance of religion? I mean, Atheists are in the minority and it's not like the entire world is going to give up religion anytime soon, right? I would think he would learn to get along with all those pesky Baptists and, heavens for bid, a Catholic or two (sarcasm/on). I do recognize his right to "practice" Atheism, but I don't like the fact that after all the smoke clears, people like me will be hurt knowing that the voice of one nonbeliever could win over a chorus of Christians. I'm wondering if he was raised Atheist or if this is something he choose later in life. Either way, he has probably gone through a lot of agony and ridicule for something I'll bet he doesn't even understand.

I would think that to be a proper Atheist one would have to study and understand religion in order to dismiss it entirely. If this is the case then symbols of religion shouldn't mean anything more to him than a billboard or a fire hydrant.

"The frustrating thing is that those who are attacking religion claim they are doing it in the name of tolerance, freedom, and open mindedness. Question: Isn't the real truth that they are intolerant of religion? They refuse to tolerate its importance in our lives. If all the children of our country studied together all of the many religions in our country, wouldn't they learn greater tolerance of each other's beliefs? If children prayed together, would they not understand what they have in common, and would this not, indeed, bring them closer, and is this not to be desired? So, I submit to you that those who claim to be fighting for tolerance on this issue may not be tolerant at all. "

- President Ronald Reagan

Here is another quote by Reagan who said it best:

"You know, if we look back through history to all those great civilizations, those great nations that rose up to even world dominance and then deteriorated, declined, and fell, we find they all had one thing in common. One of the significant forerunners of their fall was their turning away from their God or gods. "

Listen to the Chief... Folks we can't let these PC types get a hold on and strangle the very essence of this country. We were founded on a basis of religious freedom, we've fought for it, died for it and if we don't stand up to these PCers and Atheists, we're gonna lose it all.
Start e-mailing newspapers and school superintendents. Tell them you want see your child singing "Silent Night" in the school Christmas (not Holiday) pageant, tell them you want the scouts in the schools, tell them you want the Ten Commandments displayed but whatever you do... tell 'em quick because we are losing the battle. Thanks.

[TonyWojo]

Where are the California Freepers, sounds like it is time to get a rally going.

[CitizenM]

This is not exactly on the subject of the cross in San Diego...but it addresses the issue. I got this yesterday in an Email. I think it made the rounds before, but now I am going to start doing it, maybe others would also?

WRITE IT ON THE BACK OF YOUR ENVELOPES

You may have heard in the news that a couple of Post Offices in Texas have been forced to take down small posters that say "IN GOD WE TRUST," The law, they say, is being violated.

We must take back our nation from all the people who think that anything that offends them should be removed.

If you like this idea, please pass it on and DO IT ....The idea of writing or stamping "IN GOD WE TRUST" on our envelopes sounds good to me. I'M HAVING MY STAMP MADE TODAY!

It has been reported that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having "In God We Trust"on our money and having God in the pledge of Allegiance.

Could it be that WE just need to take action and tell the 14% to "sit down and shut up"?

[NYer]

What will they replace it with? A crescent moon?

Catholic Ping - Come home for Easter and experience God’s merciful love. Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[OXENinFLA]

This one is just off I-57 in IL, but I think this one is on private land........I had my brother take the pic when I drove him back up north last year.

[blessu]

In other news, since there are Bible quotes chisled into the marble above the doors to the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Senate, it was decided to bulldoze these two offensive structures to the ground.

[Pride in the USA]

I grew up seeing that cross on Mt. Soledad. It became a landmark. This is just another sad day for our Judeo-Christian country. The 9th Circuit Court and the ACLU/atheists win another one. How is it that so few can dictate to so many in a Democracy? Keep voting in Republicans, folks; it is our best hope.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

This is really sad. I remember Roger Hedgecock mentioning this when he sat in for Rush once. I loved in San Diego in the early 80's. I fled back to the Midwest as soon as I could. I can't imagine the kind of kookburger I'd be today had I stayed there in my young and impressionable years!

I don't normally wear my cross necklace everyday (it's a treasured heirloom) but I put it on this morning, and I'll keep it on and keep the faith for the salvation of this monument from out here in The Heartland.

This is chilling because you know darn well that once this kind of cr@p starts on the coasts, it comes inland eventually. The scales have falled from my eyes and I'm finally starting to see so many examples of Christians being persecuted. It's making me heartsick.

And all the posters that said something to the effect that these people KNOW in their hearts that God exists are spot-on, IMHO.

[OKIEDOC]

Somehow, it just doesn't seem right that a few selfish people like the ACLU are allowed to run over the majority.

It seems to me the ACLU along with Hollywood has done more to split this country into factions than any group other than the Democratic party.

The ACLU has as Mike Reagan says made themselves targets of hatred.

Under the disguise of helping the downtrodden they have weaseled their way into all areas of life.

The ACLU has certainly been successful in doing their job of fermenting hatred between groups.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

I think I have the solution. In some municipality, we need to make sure that the letter "t" is banned from all public communications.

This actually has some merit. Along with some other strategies. A big part of the problem is that the ACLU is essentially a Congressionally subsidized EXTORTION RACKET using a loophole in Civil Rights legislation to file lawsuits anywhere they can dowse up some purported offense under their BIG LIE doctrine of "Separation of Church and State." IIRC, San Diego PAID the ACLU $950,000 in legal fees for suing and forcing the will of a Marxist minority business interest upon THE PEOPLE.

Recent FR thread:

ACLU finds pot of gold at the foot of the Cross

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335326/posts

Phyllis Schlafly: "It is because there is a pot of gold hidden under it attracting the ACLU like honey attracts bees. A little-known 1976 federal law called the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Awards Act enables the ACLU to collect attorneys' fees for its suits against crosses, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Ten Commandments. This law was designed to help plaintiffs in civil rights cases. But the ACLU is using it for First Amendment cases, asserting that it is a civil right NOT to see a cross or the Ten Commandments...."