Reporter: July 28, 2011 submicroscopic| Washington

Photograph: Harry Mihet

The Ten Commandments marble

American a federal judge recently ruled, ordered the erected in Florida Dixie county court in front of a seat with a biblical commandments marble monument removed, the reason is that the practice violated American Constitution shall establish clause. In recent years, relates to religious display case in the America emerge in an endless stream, and very fierce dispute.

* Dixie county government because marble prosecution *

Erect a Florida Dixie county court in front of a marble engraved with the Decalogue is donated by a local businessman, the county committee in 2006 approved the placed there. 5 feet, the weight of 6 tons of marble engraved with the Ten Commandments except outside, also with marked read: to love God and keep his commandments.

Liberal groups "American Civil Liberties Union" the Florida division in 2007 the county government to court, request the marble. The organization says that, in the county court in front of the seat has the religious content of the marble in violation of the first amendment to the constitution of USA not establish clause. This article prohibits government favoritism to a religion.

ACLU of Florida

America Civil Liberties Union Florida division director Howard Simon

* America Civil Liberties Union prosecution on the basis of *

"The executive director of the Howard Simon American Civil Liberties Union" Florida division points out, although the ten commandments are a part of the Anglo American Jewish and Christian tradition, but the content is too much information relating to religion. Therefore, according to the America constitutional separation of church and state, the government support and agree with a religious practice, is not appropriate.

Simon said: "many people put the ten commandments as general ethics, many commands can be found in the Anglo American tradition, for example, is filial piety the parents, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness against them, these are the. However, neglected, the former part is completely independent of religious orders, and moral and legal provisions."

Simon adds, the former part includes only to serve the Lord, do not worship idols, do not take the name of Ye Hehua, remember the sabbath day and keep it holy, which transfer is entirely religious information.

Simon pointed out that, according to the Federal Supreme Court decision America past, county government practices in violation of the Constitution: "county government practices in defiance of the Federal Supreme Court decision USA past, these decisions to maintain USA constitution the oldest principles, that is, the government must remain neutral in matters of religion, while allowing people to exercise their the right to freedom of religious belief. Federal, state, county and local governments are not biased or support a religion."

Harry Mihet

Liberty counsel senior legal adviser Harry Milhet

* county government lawyers for the erection of marble defense *

However, as the Dixie county government defended the conservative legal groups "free defender" senior legal advisor Harry meters height points out, Dixie county government approach does not support a religion, the Supreme Court has ruled that the past, public places of personal opinion expression protected by the constitution, not banned.

M Hewitt said: "the county government only provides a place, and this field so equal conditions and open to all citizens. This marble by individual citizens have and maintenance, there is no constitutional issues, also does not violate the Constitution does not establish clause. It is not an expression of government rhetoric, but public expression of individual speech."

Florida judge Federal District Court recently ruled against the North Dixie county government decision. The court ordered the county government put the marble away from county court before the door before August 14th. Decision points out that, despite the Dixie county does not have the marble monument, however, it is placed in position to the observer Xian Ming, have been implicated in the transmission of county government choice and stone information. At present, the Dixie county government is considering whether to appeal against the decision of the Federal District court.

* legal dispute the Ten Commandments monument long-standing *

According to rice black lawyers, legal disputes related to the Ten Commandments monument has been for a long time. Early in the last century 80's, USA Civil Liberties Union began to reflect through litigation America traditional stone monument from the ten commandments and other public places a disappearance. However, in the past few years, due to the "free defender" intervention, the situation began to change. M h lawyer said, their agents litigation, in addition to a lost, the rest of all win.

M h lawyer said, he from the Communist Party under the control of the atheist Romania. He and his family fled to the land of the free, to enjoy the freedom of America. But, now, Americans are to defend USA tradition and history and struggle.

M Hewitt said: "like America Civil Liberties Union such organizations trying to rewrite the history USA, put all the stone God's name from the public buildings, dollar bills, America pledge of allegiance and public square off, make the public square secular us, let us forget USA pious tradition. America founding fathers fleeing religious persecution to the country, is to be able to openly express their belief in god. This is our heritage, which is our goal."

At the beginning of 2010, has made the opposite decision Kentucky lawsuit a Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in another relates to the Ten Commandments in content. Ruling allowed the Grayson County Court hanging plaque, inscribed with the Ten Commandments in the court hall and points out, this approach is for educational purposes, not to support or promote a religion, because in addition to the ten commandments, county court on the wall also show play an important role of documents and items in the USA legal and political system in the declaration of independence, for example, the bill of rights, the preamble to the Constitution and the Star Spangled Banner, Kentucky.

In the decision of the lower court in case of inconsistency, whether America Federal Supreme Court will intervene in judgment, and the judgment which the constitutional principle of this kind of case, it is unknown. At present, people can clearly see is, the controversy continues.