Today, American Atheists claimed yet another legal victory in the state of Utah. In 2005, American Atheists and some members of the organization filed a motion to sue the state of Utah and individuals representing the state of Utah in order to remove crosses that were said to memorialize deceased police officers. Plaintiffs argued that the crosses violated the establishment clause of the United States Constitution and the free expression clause of the Utah Constitution. David Silverman, president of American Atheists, commented specifically for this article.
Silverman said that one of the problems with the state of Utah erecting crosses for deceased police officers was that other monuments were not allowed. Further, the government only allowing for the placement of highway crosses relayed a Christian message to viewers that was endorsed by the government. Persons from Utah, Silverman mentioned, attempted to argue that the cross was a secular symbol for death (instead of a Christian symbol).
If the cross was ruled as being a secular symbol, Silverman said, there may have been some very negative implications such as putting crosses in places such as public schools and federal buildings and this would be “strict government endorsement” of Christianity. The right course of action, Silverman said, for the government, is to use secular symbols that are properly representative of all persons rather than a symbol of a religion being used that really doesn't represent everyone.
American Atheists faced a tremendous deal of backlash not only from persons of the state of Utah, but from all sorts of persons that, Silverman said, listen to Fox News soundbytes. American Atheists was unfairly caricatured, Silverman explained, as 'cop haters.' Silverman said, “they had to distract somehow.”
Silverman explained that this is not just an 'atheist issue,' but an issue for everyone. Silverman elaborated, “An attempt to secularize the cross threatens the entire secular nature of this country and the entire concept of religious freedom that comes from church/state separation. The religious right wants this country to be a theocracy and we are protecting against that. People in the secular community get this.”
A press release from American Atheists released today says, “There is no question that the [...] troopers should be honored: they gave their lives in the line of duty and in service to Utah. However, troopers can be and should be honored with a symbol that is inclusive of all Utahans. A state approved memorial should represent those who are not religious as well as those who are. The memorials should not emphasize one religious faith to the exclusion of all others. A memorial symbol endorsed by the State should not be religious but should be universal.”
The press release ends reading, “Today's Supreme Court ruling and 10th Circuit decision do not prevent the honoring of the troopers. […] [T]he state must simply do so with symbols and in a manner that do not unconstitutionally endorse and support Christianity.”
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