"Once abolish the God and the government becomes the God."
G. K. Chesterton
On October 7th, the Supreme Court will hear a case by the ACLU trying to tear down a WW1 veteran's memorial in the Mojave Desert.
Why? Because the memorial is in the shape of a cross. The ACLU says it's an Establishment-Clause violation. The problem with that statement is that the religious establishment clause has been so debated as to what it means that it's all very subjective in the eyes of the law (apparently for those who can't understand simple English). Either way, the main test Congress has determined as to whether the clause is in violation is Neutrality:
Doesn't this mean even having this issue in court is an establishment clause violation?
From the Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion ... .”
Simple. No law. They are not allowed to rule on religion. The lawsuit, therefore, is unconstitutional.
The point of the law was to protect the United States from what happened in England, Spain, France and so on with the countries establishing one national religion the government had to uphold and which put down those of different faiths and caused bloodshed and revolt. That was the purpose. We've done that by following the "no law respecting an establishment of religion" mandate in our Constitution. No one must follow any one religion or any religion at all. We can go to church or not. We can choose what faith to follow or we can follow none. Freedom OF religion simply means to follow your chosen faith or don't.
It means we have every right to express our chosen religion. It means nothing else.
The Mojave Desert cross was erected by a group of private individuals, WW1 Veterans who lived out there and put it up to honor their friends and fellow soldiers. It's barely visible from the barely traveled road and only if you're looking for it. The ACLU says it's offensive and since it's on government land, it has to come down.
Offensive.
The big problem here is that if this case wins, it sets a precedent for every one of our veteran memorials, most every presidential memorial, and most every public building in the country to have to remove their religious symbols.
Isn't that against the neutrality principle? Isn't that taking the side of non-religion OVER religion? Because we have a handful of atheists in the country, none of us can show our religion? Does that mean we can't wear our cross necklaces or cross our hearts before we eat if we're in public? Does it mean Muslims cannot wear their religious headwear? Does that mean we can't have our minister lead our funeral services at public cemetaries? How about no Christmas trees? No Menorrahs? Does it mean we have to destroy all of our money because it says, "In God We Trust"?
"On government land" ... Do we not realize that "government land" belongs to us? All of us. We pay taxes supporting it. It belongs to all of us, as do our federal buildings, our cemetaries, and our memorials. They belong to US: WE the PEOPLE of the United States. We the people are religion-centered other than a small percentage. And we don't mind that they aren't. We don't tell them they have to be. Neutrality. Don't be if you don't want to be. Fine. But neutrality works both ways. The majority of we the people do not want our veteran's monuments destroyed (or hidden under wooden boxes). We do not want our public buildings destroyed or rebuilt. They are who we are. We are, or should be, proud of our veterans. They are the only reason we still are We the People of the United States. To desecrate their memorials is to desecrate them.
The Lincoln Memorial has the Gettysburg Address carved into its walls. It mentions religion. President Lincoln, who held us together and brought more equality to our nation than any president before or since by upholding the Constitution.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..."
From the Declaration of Independence: "endowed by their Creator" Religion is also all over our founding documents. Do we throw them out, also?
What does that leave us?
Socialist. With government acting as a god and running every aspect of our lives and telling us what to think and disallowing personal belief.
Are we going to allow that?
We are a nation under God. We were formed that way. It's in our Constitution. It's in the Declaration of Independence. It's in Thomas Jefferson's statement, "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his god..." If an individual is offended by it, why is he living here in America and enjoying all of the freedoms that our religious freedom heritage allows? China doesn't allow religion. Is there anywhere else that doesn't? Other than religiously free nations, there are basically government-run religion countries where you are persecuted (and often murdered) for not following that religion. That's what we don't want. We can't allow it. We also can't allow the opposite.
Did you know the ACLU lawsuit expenses will be paid by taxpayer money if they win? Isn't that an establishment clause violation? We're paying them to take away our religious freedom? I'm part of we the people and I don't want my money going to them just to work against me.
By the way, the caretaker of the Mojave Desert cross, a friend of one of the veterans it memorializes, offered 5 acres of his own land to the Park Service in exchange for the 1 acre the cross sits on. The Park Service accepted. Okay, so it would no longer be on "government property" - an easy fix. The ACLU objected, saying it solves nothing and the Ninth Circuit Court ruled against it. Why would it solve nothing? It would then be public property. Are they objecting to it being on private property where someone might possibly see it? If they go that far, it means I would also have to take my cross off my front porch. Private property. But someone might see it and be offended.
Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. Religious freedom is exactly that: the right to be religious and show it. Anything else means we no longer have freedom of religion. It means we are no longer America, land of the free, home of the brave. Our brave who fought for our independence and rights will apparently no longer matter to us.
"These are the days when the Christian is expected to praise every creed except his own."
"Civilization has run on ahead of the soul of man, and is producing faster than he can think and give thanks."
"Most modern freedom is at root fear. It is not so much that we are too bold to endure rules; it is rather that we are too timid to endure responsibilities."
G. K. Chesterton
Note: Haven't heard of Chesterton? Neither had I until finding the top quote. What a shame. He's one of our most prolific writers. Find him here: http://chesterton.org/discover/who.html
source: The American Legion Magazine, September 2009 |
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