10 Commandments monument

Okay, there's some controversy in Boise because the City Council voted on Tuesday to move a 10 Commandments monument from a city park. For the heck of it, I'll throw my 2 cents out there.

As I understand it, Fred Phelps (the supposed Christian whose sole purpose in life is to rabble-rouse)* wanted to put some statue in a Boise park. Knowing Phelps (not personally, but I've run into his progeny online), it was offensive to many, many people with a thin veneer of Christianity painted on top of it. Anyway, to justify the fact that they'll don't want him to, the city's removing all such statues/monuments. There's some sort of threatened lawsuit, too, from people out of state (you need to read When Blue States Attack if you haven't yet). Don't know if it's related to Phelps or not. There are probably some other reasons, too, but that's what I've heard.

Now, the radio news today stated that this issue was put on the City Council meeting agenda at 5:30 last Friday (right before a 3 day weekend). Then Tuesday they had the meeting, refused to let any citizens talk about it during the meeting and voted to remove it. Originally it was scheduled to be moved today. As the lawyer for the group trying to keep the monument in place, "What's the urgency?" Why indeed are they rushing this?

Now, from a religious point of view I don't care if they have the statue there or not--the LAW is still binding on everyone whether they know it or not. It does say a great deal about the moral and spiritual state of this nation, however. I fear for my kids. Now when it comes to the legal reasoning behind this trend, let me quote from that above mentioned article (very coincidentally, btw):

"The alleged legal basis for removing all of these Ten Commandments monuments is the establishment clause of the First Amendment. That clause provides: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." The vigilant observer will note instantly that none of the monuments cases involves Congress, a law or an establishment of religion.

Monuments are not "laws," the Plattsmouth, Neb., public park is not "Congress," and the Ten Commandments are not a religion. To the contrary, all three major religions believe in Moses and the Ten Commandments. Liberals might as well say the establishment clause prohibits Republicans from breathing, as that it prohibits a Ten Commandments display. But over the past few years, courts have ordered the removal of dozens and dozens of Ten Commandments displays"

well, maybe that was 4 cents in the end.

* is that spelled right?