The Mojave Cross case, involving a cross put up as a veterans memorial in the Mojave desert, has been decided by the Supreme Court. The cross was ruled safe to stay, in a 5 to 4 decision. The case is over ten years old. Who knows how many low interest loans worth have gone into this particular court case.
Mojave Cross saved by narrow majority
The Mojave Cross case is the opening First Amendment case of the Roberts Court. The opinion, according to Fox News , was authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy. The court believes it would do veterans a disservice if they removed it. Justice Ailito added “is likely to have been seen by more rattlesnakes than humans.” The location is remote in a 1 million acre plus national park. You’d have to get no faxing payday loans just for the gas to get there.
Original suit brought 10 years ago
The original suit started over 10 years ago with Frank Buono. A Buddhist shrine alongside the cross was requested, and when it was turned down Buono enlisted the help of the American Civil Liberties Union. Jewish and Muslim veterans, according to the Houston Chronicle , also object to the monument.
The only vet on the Court speaks
Justice John Paul Stevens, the only veteran on the court, dissented with the opinion but agreed removing a veterans memorial would be an injustice. He maintained the cross would only be honoring Christian veterans, though unintentionally, and is “dramatically inadequate and inappropriate tribute” and memorials should honor all veterans of all faiths.
There were some attempts to fix things
After the original suit was brought, 10 years ago (a lot more than 60 years after it was put up), the cross was ordered removed. Congress, in 2003, ordered the land transferred to private ownership, but federal courts enjoined the action. The case was picked in October of 2009 up by the Supreme Court. The Mojave Cross will stay, but the land transfer is still pending.
Resources for the article
Fox News
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/28/high-court-supports-mojave-cross-calif/
Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/6980141.html
No comments:
Post a Comment