November 19, 2002
MAKE HIM:
Ten Commandments Display Ordered Out of Courthouse (Manuel Roig-Franzia, November 19, 2002, Washington Post)The bulky Ten Commandments monument that Alabama's crusading chief justice sneaked into the rotunda of the state Supreme Court building late one night last summer was ruled unconstitutional today by a federal judge.U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson in Montgomery, Ala., repudiated the monument's champion -- Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore -- for creating "a religious sanctuary within the walls of a courthouse." Thompson gave Moore 30 days to remove the monument, but the chief justice's attorneys said they will ask a federal appeals court to allow it to remain in place during a lengthy appeals process that both sides expect could ultimately lead to the U. S. Supreme Court.
That monument will be there long after Judge Thompson leaves the bench. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 19, 2002 3:52 PM
A monument to the ignorance and intolerance of the judge, who stated that this is what our laws are based on.
Not entirely. Not, for example, Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.
The original states had blue laws until well into the 20th century.
Posted by: oj at November 19, 2002 9:33 PMWell it's holy for shoppers.
Posted by: Barry Meislin at November 20, 2002 1:21 AMAlabama still has 'blue laws' on Sunday alcohol sales; only very recently have some of the larger cities gotten permission to vote on (and allow) drinks to be served in restaraunts on Sundays. Over the counter sales are still illegal.
BTW, Orrin, don't be too sure about Myron Thompson going anywhere. Most everybody back home is convinced that he made a deal with the devil to stay on the bench forever, dealing out mischief on a regular basis...
Yes, and Connecticut collected taxes and gave
them to the Congregational Church until 1804.
It took a while for the constitutionalists to
overcome the religious fanatics. Job's not
entirely done yet.