A movement to display the Ten Commandments at public buildings across Tennessee has suffered the second major blow in weeks.
U.S. District Judge Allan Edgar ordered the removal of two displays from court buildings in Chatanooga, saying they establish religion in violation of the First Amendment. That comes on the heels of an advisory sent by the state’s attorney general to county commissions claiming that posting the Commandments on public building is unconstitutional.
The April advisory by Attorney General Paul Summers came amid a Ten Commandments- Tennessee campaign. About half of the state’s 95 countries have approved such displays since Sept. 11.
“This isn’t my idea,” Charles Wysong, who is spearheading the campaign, told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal. “God commanded us to put the Ten Commandments up… everywhere.”
The Hamilton County Commission voted in September to erect displays at the courthouse and a city/county court building. They went up in December.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit. At the trial, attorneys for the county said the Ten Commandment displays did not endorse or advance religion.
Judge Edgar disagreed. “We may, if we wish, read and heed the precepts of the Ten Commandments,” he said. “However, we do not need the aid of the government to do so.”
Hamilton County officials will abide by the ruling but may challenge it, according to the Chatanooga Times-Free Press. “We are disappointed,” county attorney Rheubin Taylor said. “However, the commission put these plaques up as a symbol of our laws and to remind the people of the importance of obeying the laws of the land. Consistent with that, we do intend to obey the law and comply with any final ruling of the court.”
(ABP)
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