ACLU Sues Over Ten Commandments Display in Georgia

[Nambe]

ATLANTA (Reuters)

The American Civil Liberties Union said on Tuesday it was filing a federal lawsuit to force officials in Georgia to remove a parchment inscription of the Ten Commandments from a rural courthouse.

In the suit, which was expected to be filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Gainesville, Georgia, the group said the display in the hallway of the Barrow County courthouse in Winder violated the constitutional ban on government promotion of religion.

Winder is about 35 miles east of Atlanta.

"We had tried to work with the county and we weren't able to come to a resolution, so we had to file a lawsuit," said Maggie Garrett, an ACLU lawyer. ---


Click to enter

[Bandit]

1. This is necessary but Liberals are going to get fried over this one also

We have to live by our constitution no matter how religious this country is. Liberals are going to feel the heat though. I think this one will be lost though.

[CO Liberal]

2. From the Referenced Article

Underlining mine.

Officials in Barrow County have vowed to keep the 3-by-4-foot framed display in the courthouse, were it has hung for 18 months. They say they have the support of residents.

There is no historical signifigance for this display. If it was there when the courthouse was build, that would be one thing. But since it was placed there AFTER Roy's Rock was placed in the Judicial Building in Alabama, it should be removed.

[Selwynn]

3. Being right is not the same thing as doing the right thing....

I'm not sure if I agree with the ACLU on this.

That are definately in the right. But I'm not sure if going after every local who decides to defiantly put up the ten commandments is the best use of time. To me there are weightier issues that need attention. Not only this, but the ACLU just gave these guys a national spotlight, where if they had ignored it, or handled it in a more low profile way, it would never have been a national issue.

And not only that, but I'm worried the ACLU is going to start looking one of several ways:

a) silly
b) anti-religion
c) out of touch

a) is of course bad because the ACLU needs to be a group that is respected and taken seriously in politics. b) is bad because if the ACLU becomes primarily associated with fights over religion, it dwarfs the rest of their work and significance. The ACLU becomes associated with religion-bashing in the public eye, rather than the fight for civil freeomds and equality, the projecting of civil rights, and the pursuit of fair and equal protection under the law. c) is bad because appearing out of touch with more serious issues will make the ACLU look laughable and not to be taken seriously.

I realize that the ACLU is a big orgnaization with many cases being fought at the same time. I love the ACLU, I contribute to the ACLU. This is not a bash on the ACLU. But in this instance, I really think the best thing that could happen right now is for these issues to fade out of national attention.

[LearnedHand]

4. Sorry, Selwynn, I think you might be mistaken about...

...the seriousness of this issue. Each decision to publically display the 10C in a government building represents an act similar to a military incursion. The proponents of such actions are trying to find the soft underbelly, the weak places, so they can ooze into them. Once we ignore the situation as "insignificant" for long enough, they will win by default.

I don't ever want to go before a court that has this religious document posted; I am not a christian, am not religious, and the 10C do not represent the moral/legal framework for my beliefs. Thus, I believe that "justice for all" would not apply to me in such a court.

I repeat: This is as serious an issue as infiltrators in a military operation. We cannot allow them to change history simply by ignoring the issue and hoping it goes away.

On edit: fixed spelling

[DEMActivist]

5. Will end up in the same appellate court as AL rock

It's the same court that will eventually decide this for Georgia.

Barrow County will lose. But, having to file in Gainesville, Georgia is a very bad thing. Gainesville is rural northern Georgia - home of the KKKers and chicken farmers. This could get ugly before it's over as the reglious nutcases will be given free reign in this county.

This isn't far from the location where 100s of thousands came to Georgia each year for the woman who had "visions of Mary."