Alabama Justice Suspended Over Monument (10 Commandments Being Violated, Big Time!)

Associated Press ^ | August 22, 2003 | BOB JOHNSON

[anymouse]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama's chief justice was suspended Friday for his refusal to obey a federal court order to remove his Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of his courthouse.

Roy Moore was automatically suspended with pay when the nine-member Judicial Inquiry Commission referred an ethics complaint against him to the Court of the Judiciary, which holds trial-like proceedings and can discipline and remove judges.

Ruby Crowe, an assistant clerk working with the court, said Moore will have 30 days to respond.

Moore met with the commission earlier Friday as about 100 of his supporters, several blocks away at the federal courthouse, ripped and burned a copy of U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson's order for the monument's removal.

Moore said he told the commission that he upheld his oath of office by acknowledging God. Moore has said Thompson has no authority to tell the state's chief justice to remove the monument.

Moore had no immediate comment after his suspension was announced. His spokesman, Tom Parker, said Moore's attorneys would respond to the complaint Monday.

Although Moore's supporters have said they will try to prevent court officials from moving the monument, Moore's attorneys offered assurances that their client will not interfere with the removal during a conference call Friday with Thompson, two plaintiffs' attorneys who also took part in the call said.

A Moore spokesman said Friday that the justice still intends to formally appeal the order to the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites).

Attorney General Bill Pryor said the public corruption and white collar crime unit in his office will handle the prosecution of Moore, who cannot perform any judicial duties while disqualified. Pryor said senior Associate Justice Gorman Houston will perform the chief justice's duties.

"I'm not happy we have to deal with these matters, but it is part of our duties and we will continue to do so," Pryor said.

Thompson ruled last year that the monument, installed by Moore in a highly visible public spot in the Alabama Judicial Building, violates the Constitution's ban on government promotion of a religious doctrine.

Thompson had ordered the monument removed by Wednesday — the same day the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Moore's appeal for an emergency stay.

The state Supreme Court's eight associate justices, meanwhile, overruled Moore and ordered the monument out of the rotunda.

Joe Conn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which sued to remove the monument, said Moore brought the suspension on himself.

"He knew all along that state court judges cannot defy the federal courts and yet he went ahead with this anyway," Conn said.

A Moore supporter, Alabama Christian Coalition president John Giles, said the commission was "trying to take down one of America's finest."

The monument remained in the rotunda Friday as court officials discussed where in the building the 5,300-pound granite marker could be moved and given proper security. Thompson said it could be moved to a private place in the building.

The ethics complaint, filed by Montgomery lawyer Stephen Glassroth, now goes to the Court of the Judiciary, a panel currently made up of four judges, three lawyers and two non-lawyers that has handled numerous judicial ethics cases.

Attorneys who sued to get the monument out of the rotunda, meanwhile, put their contempt filing against Moore on hold, now that Alabama Supreme Court associate justices have agreed to move the marker.

Moore supporters have held an around-the-clock vigil since Wednesday, and said they planned to continue to prevent the monument from being moved.

On Friday, about 100 protesters moved from the steps of the judicial building to a sidewalk in front of the federal courthouse, where Thompson works. Some ripped to pieces and burned a copy of Thompson's ruling. Demonstrators also held a mock trial, in which Thompson was charged with breaking the law of God.

"We hold you, Judge Thompson, and the United States Supreme Court in contempt of God's law," said Flip Benham, director of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue.

Inside the state judicial building, court officials were trying to determine where the monument would go and when it would be moved.

Ayesha Khan, an attorney for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, one of the groups seeking removal of the monument, said Thompson told the parties in a conference call Friday that he would schedule another conference call for late next week. She said plaintiffs would drop their request to hold Moore in contempt, or fine the state, if the monument is moved by then.

"Our concern all along has been compliance with the Constitution. Once the monument has been removed, our concerns will have been addressed," she said.

Khan said the attorney general, speaking for the eight associate justices who overruled Moore, told Thompson that building officials were looking for the best location for the monument and considering security problems that might occur because of the ongoing demonstrations.

One of the demonstrators, retired Birmingham school teacher Murray Phillips, said she knows the monument will probably be gone from the rotunda soon.

"I'm upset, but I'm not surprised. At least I am going to be able to say to my grandchildren that at least I tried to do something," Phillips said.

[virgil]

Remember, power flows form the barrel of a gun.

I guess we have to decide what is the ultimate authority. God or the gun. Really I think it is more dangerous to have gov't in religion than to have religion in gov't. European coutries have gov't sanctioned religions, but take a look at the Church of England. I'm not sure its a Christian church anymore. George Washington believed gov't should be austere and humble. Not haughty and hedonisitic. He recognized a transcendent higher authority than gov't. He was a deist, not an atheist. Some other people just have a problem with authority no matter what. Maybe the judge thinks: " If we don't recognize the authority of God then by what authority can I adjudicate the law as judge? By the business end of a gun? Then, what kind of country do we become? Think of every politcal, social, legal and economic disease you know. I don't think you can remove the philisophical and religous aspects of the law and still call it moral.

[Teacher317]

Yes, and it's displayed as part of a mosaic of law featuring Confucius, and Solon and others. In fact, the 10 Commandments are posted in public buildings all over this country with nary a peep out of the courts.
Now, you'd think Roy would have consulted someone on how to display the 10 Commandments properly, wouldn't you?
This is about Roy Moore, and Roy Moore's view of Christianity and his disdain for every other form of religious expression.

Ah, so only forms of religious expression that the government approves of are acceptable? With the proper "diversity" requirements found in our modern "wisdom"? Yeah, THAT is what the Founders had in mind! /Sarcasm>

[Texas_Dawg]

Give all the mentally ill and homeless a copy of the 10 Commandments.

Exactly. In Klingon.

[Revel]

"It does appear that this judge is going against God's will."

Yeah and so did all those who faught the British and formed our country. So How about we give it back? So did Gods people when they left EGypt and said goodbye. You Twist scipture because Gods law is higher than mans. This judge is following that. But also of considerable importance is the fact that the federal courts are legislating from the bench. There are no laws in the constitution or inacted by Congress that support there decision. They are lawless even by mans standards. So who would you choose to listen to? Also this is not the middle east. This is America where you are the authority...Federal judges who go against you-Your constitution and your congress have no right to any authority at all. Of course you can roll over and play dead. But you will loose everything we value in this country if you do.

[sinkspur]

Ah, so only forms of religious expression that the government approves of are acceptable?

That's what Judge Roy believes. You've summed up his position perfectly.

[PFKEY]

Yeah and so did all those who faught the British and formed our country.

I would agree with that statement.

So did Gods people when they left Egypt

They were doing as they were commanded of God.

Gods law is higher than mans.

Agreed.

Do you think God is diminished or harmed by the removal of some marble?

[Revel]

"The summer of 2003 will go down as the Dark Age of conservatism -- we have lost battles on every front, even with nominally Republican control of the "government."

I am afraid you are right. People don't understand what it means anymore to fight Tyranny. These people condem Judge Moore, but they do nothing about it themselves. They expect that all there problems can be solved by the same courts that have shown no respect for the law. Even then they do nothing but defend the Tyranny. It is a sad time from which we most likely will never recover. America is on the ash heap.

[Revel]

And you think those whose formed this country were not doing the will of God? These people prayed. How do you know that? We won. That is a pretty good sign that maybe God wanted it that way.

"Do you think God is diminished or harmed by the removal of some marble?"

Do you really believe that this is all about the monument? The monument is a symbol of Judicial tryanny, Lawlessness by federal judges and the ever destructive agression againt Christianity by those have no respect for the law at all. They only wish to twist it...destort it and change it (From the bench). You would be wise to understand that connected to this case is the very preservation of real Law. Soon even some action you cherrish and hold rightfully yours will be a target.

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

Anarchy rules!

Is insanity contagious?

[PFKEY]

I do not pretend to know the will of God except that which he has revealed in the scriptures.

What do the scriptures tell us about of enemies?

Are we to kill them?

Matt.5
[44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

[MattAMiller]

So you see the government on a search and destroy mission, eradicating any vestige of religious expression anywhere except in the privacy of one's own closet as a LIMITED ROLE???

Is anybody trying to shut down all those Christian radio and cable stations? Is anybody shutting down churches? Are people being tossed into the clinker for talking about religion?

No. But we are asking that the government not endorse religion.

[apackof2]

MT 12:33 "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. [34] You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. [35] The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. [36] But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. [37] For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

[apackof2]

Are people being tossed into the clinker for talking about religion?

Nope, not yet......

LK 21:12 "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. [13] This will result in your being witnesses to them. [14] But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. [15] For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. [16] You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. [17] All men will hate you because of me.

[apackof2]

You know, the kind that think being Christian is about being non-confrontational all the time. That 70's commune junk.

Your preaching to the choir here :>)

MT 11:11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [12] From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men (women) lay hold of it.

[Texas_Dawg]

And Jesus Christ is the only One who will bring holiness and salvation... not some pride-filled charade over a block of stone.

[apackof2]

Actually your wrong

[apackof2]

Jesus offers salvation, its up to us to choose it and after choosing it, choose to know and obey Him, and His Word

[MattAMiller]

Then what's the point of resisting the inevitable?

[pollywog]

Persecution is always a pretext for revival.

AMEN to that!! Lord bring a revival to America ....this is my prayer....and as my dear daddy used to always pray " START the WORK in ME".

[Liberty Wins]

"Are people being tossed into the clinker for talking about religion?"

One example:

In Jane Doe v. Santa Fe, a federal judge ruled that graduation prayers must not include any mention of “Jesus” or other “specific deities” and that any student offering such a prayer would face immediate arrest and up to six months in jail. The judge threatened “violators” by saying they would wish they “had died as a child” once his court finished with them.