Judge orders Ten commandments removed

[Happy29]

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the chief justice of Alabama's Supreme Court to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state's Judicial Building within 15 days.

The federal judge, who has ruled the 5,300-pound monument violates the constitutional ban on government promotion of religion, lifted a stay he had previously issued while Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore appealed.

Moore, whose stand was rejected by an appeals court, has said he will turn next to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ruling by Judge Myron Thompson came a day after Moore filed a brief claiming Thompson did not have the authority to make him remove the black granite monument from the building's rotunda. Moore contends Alabama's constitution permits the acknowledgment of God by the state and that the federal court has no jurisdiction to order the state to act otherwise.

Thompson's order said the monument must be moved from the public areas of the building by Aug. 20, but could remain in a private area, such as Moore's chambers. The building houses the Supreme Court chamber and offices of appeals court judges.

Thompson said he does not plan to take immediate action to remove the monument if Moore does not comply, but may fine the state each day the monument remains in place.

An attorney for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, one of three groups that filed suit challenging the monument, said it is time for Moore to remove it.

``The monument is becoming a millstone around the neck of Alabama. It is time to let reason prevail over politics,'' Ayesha Khan said.

Moore had no immediate comment Tuesday. His spokesman, Tom Parker, issued a statement calling Thompson's order ``judicial tyranny.''

Parker added that Thompson had no right to fine other state officials if the monument is not removed. ``They are not parties to this case,'' he said.

Moore had the monument moved into the building's rotunda in the middle of the night on July 31, 2001, saying that the Ten Commandments represent the moral foundation of American law.

Last year, Thompson ruled that the monument was an unconstitutional endorsement of religion by the state. Thompson ordered Moore to remove the monument within 30 days, but stayed that order pending Moore's appeal. A federal appeals panel upheld Thompson's order last month.

Several religious groups have called on Christians across the country to come to Montgomery and kneel around the monument to prevent its removal.

John Giles, president of the Alabama Christian Coalition, said there would be a showdown if Thompson attempts to have the monument removed.

``The encroachment of the federal court on this matter will be met with considerable peaceful intervention,'' Giles said.

Richard Cohen, a lawyer for the Southern Poverty Law Center, which also joined the lawsuit, urged Attorney General Bill Pryor ``to put aside his personal support of the monument and work with Justice Moore to follow the law.''

A spokeswoman for Pryor declined to comment.

[HarvickJrFan38]

With that gay priest being approved by the episcopalians, the legalization of sodomy, the removal of the American flag from certain post offices, sometimes I wonder what this country is coming to.

[Happy29]

We of course need to remember that our country was founded upon the principles of Christianity and I think these federal judges need to remember two things in the first amendment; freedom of religion and freedom of expression. We constantly allow the Islamic Crescent or the Jewish Star of David to be shown publicly on our schools and libraries, why cant Christianity be sitting alongside them ? There are radicals who want to ruin everything like this Federal Judge, these idiot radicals also want to take God out of the phrase God and Country.

I dont know what the outcome maybe but hopefully the Supreme Court will set things straight.