By BOB JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A Ten Commandments monument
in the rotunda of Alabama's judicial building violates the
constitution's ban on government promotion of religion,
a federal judge ruled Monday.
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson gave Alabama Chief
Justice Roy Moore, who had the 5,300-pound granite
monument installed in the state building, 30 days to remove it.
Thompson said that previous court rulings have allowed
displays on government property if they have a secular
purpose and do not foster "excessive government
entanglement with religion." He said the Ten Commandments
monument fails this test.
"His fundamental, if not sole, purpose in displaying the
monument was non-secular; and the monument's primary
effect advances religion," Thompson said.
Moore testified during the trial that the commandments
are the moral foundation of American law. He said the
monument acknowledges God, but does not force anyone to
follow his conservative Christian religious beliefs.
A lawsuit seeking removal of the monument argued that
it promoted the judge's faith in violation of the constitution's
ban on government establishment of religion.
Moore installed the monument after the building closed
on the night of July 31, 2001, without telling any other justices.
"This monument was snuck in during the middle of the night a
nd they can sneak it out just as easily. It's a gross violation
of the rights of the citizens of Alabama," said Morris Dees,
lead counsel and co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law
Center, who urged Moore to remove the monument
immediately.
The monument, which features the King James Bible
version of the Ten Commandments sitting on top of a
granite block, is one of the first things visitors see upon
entering the building.
In his ruling, Thompson said he found the monument to
be more than just a display of the Ten Commandments
and other historical quotations.
"The court is impressed that the monument and its
immediate surroundings are, in essence, a consecrated
place, a religious sanctuary, within the walls of the
courthouse," Thompson wrote.
An appeal was expected. Neither Moore nor his lead
attorney, Stephen Melchior, had any immediate comment
on the ruling. An assistant to Melchior said they were
reserving comment until they had read the opinion.
Moore fought to display a wooden plaque of the
commandments on his courtroom wall in Etowah
County, before he won election as chief justice in
November 2000.
"The basic issue is whether we will still be able to
acknowledge God under the First Amendment, or
whether we will not be able to acknowledge God,"
Moore testified.
Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans
United for Separation of Church and State, called the
ruling a setback for "Moore's religious crusade."
"It's high time Moore learned that the source of U.S. law
is the constitution and not the Bible," Lynn said.
One of Moore's supporters, Alabama Christian Coalition
President John Giles, said he believes there may be a
backlash against the ruling in Alabama, a Bible Belt state
in which Moore won easily two years ago.
"I am afraid the judge's order putting a 30-day limit on
removal of the monument will lead to an uprising of
citizens protesting removal of that monument," Giles said.
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WoooHooo.... Perhaps there is a chance for America after all. But those last two paragraphs have me a bit worried. I just hope the Federal Law System doesn't bend to the Fundie's will.
Stupid git.
)