Justices to decide if vets can be honored with cross

[thundley4]

Some see it as the universal symbol of sacrifice in World War I, others see it as the undisputed sign of Christianity, but it will be up to the Supreme Court to make a final determination as to whether a 7-foot cross remains standing in a California desert to memorialize war veterans.

The cross was first erected in 1934 in what is now the federally protected Mojave Desert Preserve by a group of veterans whose doctors advised them that the desert heat would help them recover from shell shock.

Veterans today say this war memorial and others like it across the country that use religious symbols are under attack by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

"They are not the enemy; they are just dead wrong," says Joe Davis, spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

But the civil liberties group says the cross is offensive to Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim and other non-Christian veterans.

Link



Will all crosses in every state and federal cemetery have to be removed?

[JohnnyReb]

Just watched a PBS program this morning showing finely kept graves of US dead. They showed US military graveyards all over the world with thousands of white crosses in each one, row upon row. ....and sprinkled in there amongst them were a few stars of David and at one in Africa, even a Muslim cresant....so F***'em.

And the way I read the article, the cross was there before the land came under federal control.....so screw again.

[Splashdown]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Undies made this point in another post.

What part of the First Amendment is this cross going against?