Appeals Court Agrees: Public Land No Place for Ceremonial Cross
Mount Soledad, California--just outside San Diego--has been home to a public cross in memory of Korean War veterans since the 1950s. In 1989, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the display began a long chain of legal battles and maneuvers culminating in a May order by a Federal Court that the monument be removed by Aug 2 on penalty of daily fines.
Yesterday the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to rescind that order, and the Mayor smartly announced his decision to comply rather than risk the public budget.
“I have made clear that I intend to pursue all options to preserve the integrity of the monument, including conferring with members of our congressional delegation and the White House regarding this issue,” he said. “I intend to continue doing so. However, I have no intention of violating Judge Thompson's order if a resolution cannot be reached by Aug. 1.Without knowing all the specifics of this suit, it makes sense that a public monument, dedicated to a war fought by US soldiers of all faiths, should not reflect the religion of just one.“We are a society of laws and we must respect the integrity of a court's decision.”