May 29, 2007 - Our nation paused this week to pay tribute to the millions of brave and courageous souls who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation so that its citizens may continue to live their lives as a free and democratic society. Even as memorial preparations were being made, the war in Iraq saw its bloodiest day, in terms of troop casualties, since it began in 2003. But while a nation grieved the loss of its fallen heroes, during services such as those seen at the Arlington National Cemetery and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) continued to feed its bloodlust for anything Christian by attacking the presence of religious symbols--mainly the Christian cross--found on war memorials across the country.
Adding to its existing lawsuit targeting a cross at the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego, American Civil Liberties Union (or is it the Anti-Christian League United? My memory escapes me.) attorneys petitioned the courts for removal of a cross found at a war memorial in the Mojave Desert, which was placed there by the Veterans of Foreign Wars seeking to honor and pay tribute to World War I veterans. Said ACLU attorneys should be proud of themselves, as family members and visitors desiring to honor fallen loved ones at the Mojave war memorial can now expect to see the cross covered by a box and a tarp, as per court order.
In stark contrast, a lawsuit filed last year on behalf of two churches and three individuals, including the mother of a U.S. soldier who lost his life in Iraq, for not being permitted by the V.A. to use wiccan symbols at gravesites ultimately prevailed, allowing the use of the pagan symbols. In a display of pathetic, nearly unfathomable irony, the lawsuit was filed by none other than the ACLU, who stated, "All veterans, regardless of their religion, deserve to have their faith recognized on an equal basis."
So which is it? If all veterans "deserve to have their faith recognized" in their memory, why is the ACLU gunning for war memorials in search of Christian symbols, whilst filing litigation proceedings effectively defending the presence of pagan symbolism at military gravesites? At what point did this country allow the terms, "dishonor" and "jurisprudence" to intermingle synonymously? What does it do to the morale of our Christian men and women in uniform currently giving their lives, daily, on foreign fields in defense of freedom to know that, back at home, legalities are mandating war memorials bearing Christian crosses be covered with boxes and tarps because they "offend"?
I don't pretend to have all of the answers, but of this I, and you, can be certain: In such a time as war, a nation's strength and resolve are directly proportionate to its unity and resilience--neither of which are nurtured when this government allows our war memorials to become purged of Christian representation.
