As an avowed atheist I am neither for nor against public displays of religious symbols. While I believe that religion has caused many problems in the past I see current religionists, with some exceptions, as being benign in the main. The article on Fox News website caused me some concern however since the atheists in this particular story have formed a group, American Atheists Inc., to fight against religion.
I personally argue against religion whenever it comes up in conversation but I would never think to join a group that actually goes after any religious display. Going after other religions is somewhat akin to religious zealotry and is not the act of a true atheist. This smacks of reformed alcoholics or smokers or gamblers who go after those who still retain their vices with what could be described as a religious zeal.
The so-called atheist group’s current crusade is to rid public lands of some white crosses placed to mark the places where Utah Highway Patrol officers had fallen.
The atheist group denied that it wanted to disrespect the fallen officers in any way. See the quote below.
American Atheists Inc has put forth that the officers should have some sort of memorial, just not this one. Silverman adds that his organization has the, “…utmost respect for officers and we didn’t want this fight. How anybody could say crosses are not Christian is beyond all of us. It’s completely inappropriate.”
The statement that they didn’t want the fight is absolute poppycock as seen in the first sentence of the article.
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver has ruled that crosses erected to memorialize fallen Utah Highway Patrol officers are unconstitutional.
You don’t go to an appeals court as a plaintiff unless you want the fight.
The judges ruling is also somewhat disturbing.
The crosses are paid for by the Utah Highway Patrol Association, a private organization that funds the monuments with private dollars. Each of the 14 families approved the use of a cross. According to the Utah’s Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, many of those commemorated were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which does not recognize the Christian cross.
The crosses are paid for by a private organization. For the fact that they are on public land to be taken as violating the first amendment regarding the establishment of a religion, which applies only to the US Congress, requires an outstanding feat of legal contortion.
So what is next? The crosses at Arlington?
