VICTORY for American Atheists! Supreme Court Declines to Hear Utah Cross Case

[cleanhippie]

An Atheist civil rights group announced today that it is applauding the United State Supreme Court’s decision to not hear the Utah cross case after the Court of Appeal for the 10th Circuit ruled against the state in the case.

American Atheists, along with several Utah plaintiffs sued to remove twelve large steel crosses erected by the State of Utah to honor fallen troopers. Edwin Kagin, the National Legal Director for American Atheists stated, “We have presented this case and won at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court correctly declined to review the case further, therefore the decision stands. We are looking forward to the state of Utah upholding the opinion of the Court of Appeal and removing the crosses.”

Dave Silverman, President of American Atheists noted, “We have no problem with honoring fallen troopers: they should be honored. Erecting divisive religious icons that violate the very constitution the fallen troopers had sworn to uphold is not the way to honor those troopers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the citizens of their state.”

“It is our hope,” added Mr. Silverman, “now that the appeals process is over and the courts have found the crosses unconstitutional that the State of Utah will find a more honorable and non-divisive way to honor their fallen troopers. The fallen troopers, their loved ones and the citizens they swore to protect deserve such recognition.”

http://atheists.org/blog/2011/10/31/supreme-court-declines-to-hear-utah-cross-case-victory-for-american-atheists

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:applause:

[RKP5637]

1. Excellent!!! n/t

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[wryter2000]

4. Victory to all people of faith who believe in Separation of Church and State

n/t

[cleanhippie]

10. If you consider mormonism to be a cult, do you also consider other religions to be cults?

:shrug:

[Deep13]

5. I rather think it is a victory for seperation of church and state.

Even when I was still trying to believe in Jesus, I absolutely believed in a secular state. Maybe that's why religion didn't take. I had already been corrupted by the Enlightenment and evolution.

[cleanhippie]

7. Its a victory for religious freedom for all!

Freedom OF religion cannot be had without freedom FROM religion.

[Deep13]

8. Why is that so hard to understand? nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

9. Why do only Christians die in traffic accidents?

Yeah, I know that is not true, I'm using post hoc, propter hoc. After this, before this, confusing cause and effect.

But I never see a roadside monument with any other religious symbol than a cross on it.

Therefore, I have to conclude that being a non-Christian may save you from dying in a traffic accident.

[WolverineDG]

15. Those are private memorials, not state-sponsored

:eyes:

but apart from letting you know that stretch of road is dangerous, I find them way OTT.

dg

[humblebum]

11. A cross is certainly not a Mormon symbol. And interfering with

the way in which the dead remembered, especially with something as simple as a cross, is somehow tacky, at best. Not cool, and very telling. As a matter of fact, I have never seen a cross at a Mormon temple. Not that they don't exist, but I don't think they display them, at least not on the outside.

[ButterflyBlood]

12. Crosses in Utah? Kind of odd.

Mormons don't believe in using the cross symbol.

[humblebum]

13. That would probably indicate that they allow other symbols to be displayed.

which also means that atheist groups are now in the business of censoring free speech.

[cleanhippie]

14. It's really neat when you display your ignorance for all to see.

:applause: