The ACLU vs the Ten Commandments
Two Kentucky counties had the audacity to install exhibitions in their courthouses called "Foundations of American Law and Government” which included the Ten Commandments along with nine other documents, including the lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the texts of the Declaration of Independence and Magna Carta.
Guess what? The ACLU is challenging the display (as it did earlier displays), because of those dangerously religious commandments. Over at the NYT, Linda Greenhouse has a long meandering piece about the case. Let me summarize: she's against the 10 commandments, even when offered in convenient tablet form. And she extols retired Justice Stevens for being so strict about the Establishment Clause.
One thing Greenhouse doesn't mention: the doors of the Supreme Court building feature prominent engravings of . . . the 10 Commandments. How did Stevens live with himself all that time?
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May '10
Re: The ACLU vs the Ten Commandments
Whenever I hear about one of these cases, I'm reminded of the Arrested Development episode where a character stumbles into The Ten Commandments on the courthouse steps and immediately begins a crusade to remove what didn't belong there.
It's almost as ridiculous as the ACLU's insistence on protecting the unwashed masses from the rules our rules our based on... and much funnier.
Note to Peter and Rob: Ricochet needs an Arrested Development writer or cast member!
Re: The ACLU vs the Ten Commandments
Jason, that's a hard order to fill. I'm doing my best, though television comedy writers tend, on the whole, to be just slightly less reasonable than Keith Olbermann.
Adam, there's a lot of religious stuff in those other documents -- like the Declaration -- and some, um, interesting items in the Magna Carta, such as:
I wonder how the ACLU feels about that? Or is it just the Commandments they have a problem with? Maybe they could helpfully redact the offensive parts of all American documents? Something like:
Would that pass Greenhouse Muster?