ACLU again sticking nose where it isn't needed

[juddling]

ACLU questions hurricane memorial

 

CHALMETTE, La. -- The American Civil Liberties Union is objecting to plans for a hurricane memorial in St. Bernard Parish that will feature a cross bearing a likeness of the face of Jesus.

 

 

In a letter to the parish, Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Joe Cook said the plan violates the constitutional standards of church-state separation because the memorial would be located on a public waterway. Cook asked the parish to erect a religiously neutral symbol.

 

But Parish President Henry "Junior" Rodriguez said he sees nothing improper about the memorial, which will be mounted near the shoreline of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet at Shell Beach.

 

The cross and accompanying monument listing the names of the 129 parish residents who died in Hurricane Katrina will be put on private land and are being financed with donations, Rodriguez said.

 

The Parish Council voted several months ago to erect a monument, but at the time did not offer specific plans. The parish recently announced plans to dedicate the memorial on Aug. 29, the one-year anniversary of hurricane.

 

The stainless steel cross will be 13 feet tall and seven feet wide and will be lighted.

 

Rodriguez and others like the idea of putting the monument along the banks of the MRGO, because that waterway, dug by the federal government as a shipping shortcut in the 1960s, is widely blamed for much of the deadly flooding that accompanied Hurricane Katrina.

 

Over the years erosion has widened the outlet, so the bank on which the cross will be erected is on privately owned land, Rodriguez said.

 

The ACLU believes a storm memorial is appropriate, but the parish's plan is "still all very questionable," Cook said.

 

"I think there is official government involvement with the endorsement and advancement of this clearly religious symbol," Cook said.

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If it's on private land and built with donations i don't see the problem. I'm not sure i see where the "goverment involvement" is in all of this unless maybe the local goverment granted a permit or something for the structure. Unreal.

[CanOfCorn]

And around and around we go...

[Texsox]

All they can do is ask the Courts to once again decide on religion and the Constitution. I believe both are strong enough to face the challenge. I think we have gone overboard in chasing religion from our society. There is more understanding and acceptance for the free speech of hookers than preachers.

[AbeFroman]

All they can do is ask the Courts to once again decide on religion and the Constitution. I believe both are strong enough to face the challenge. I think we have gone overboard in chasing religion from our society. There is more understanding and acceptance for the free speech of hookers than preachers.

 

 

free speech is far different from the government's endorsement of religion.

 

Its not free speech at all... The government simply can't start putting up monuments all over this country with jesus on the cross.

[Balta1701]

free speech is far different from the government's endorsement of religion.

 

Its not free speech at all... The government simply can't start putting up monuments all over this country with jesus on the cross.

If it's on private land and no government funds are used, I don't see why they can't. Then again, I haven't seen the other side of the story here, so I don't know for sure that none are.

[CrimsonWeltall]

Private property + donations = PUT IT UP. What the f*** does "on a public waterway" mean? The land is next to a river?

 

Louisiana ACLU--;

[Soxbadger]

Im sure there is more than:

 

This is purely on private land, being paid for by purely private entities.

 

If that was the case, I doubt the ACLU would bother. They said its on public land, so either they are 1) liars, or 2) there is some other information that we do not know.

[Rex Kickass]

If the public land that consisted of the right of way in the waterway disappeared because of the hurricane, the land that may be used might possibly be considered public right of way now which would mean any vacation of right of way to erect a crucifix may construe itself as a government endorsement of religion.

 

I figure that's their stand on it.

[mr_genius]

the ACLU really knows how to pick their battles

 

[minors]

Hopefully the ACLU loses this case. They have no business getting involved involved here. Private land + Private Money= HANDS OFF ACLU. Besides a "likeness of Jesus" this is very nit picky why don't they go and fight some really miscarriages of justice instead of private memorial to Hurricane victims.

 

And some people wonder why so many people hate the ACLU