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The Daily Signal
Okla. Governor
Refuses to Remove 10 Commandments Monument From Capitol
Diana Stancy
July 09, 2015
Although the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled last month that the state
Capitol’s Ten Commandments monument must be removed from the Capitol
grounds, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said on Tuesday the monument will
remain intact.
Attorney General Scott Pruitt has requested the state Supreme Court
rehear the case. Immediately after the initial court ruling last month,
both Fallin and Pruitt made it clear they would request a rehearing and
attempt to overturn the verdict.
“Oklahoma is a state where we respect the rule of law, and we will not
ignore the state courts or their decisions,” Fallin said. “However, we
are also a state with three co-equal branches of government.”
Originally, the case was filed by four plaintiffs from the American
Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oklahoma. They claimed the monument
violated the Oklahoma State constitution, which prohibits public
funding or property to go toward supporting a particular sect of
religion, according to Article II, Section 5 of the constitution.
The state Supreme Court initially ruled by a 7-2 margin that the
monument was unconstitutional, based on the grounds that it is
“obviously religious in nature and … an integral part of the Jewish and
Christian faiths.” Because of this, the court said the monument defied
separation of church and state.
However, Pruitt said after the state Supreme Court’s decision last
month that the monument was in fact constitutional. Additionally, he
cited a similar monument in Texas the Supreme Court deemed
constitutional.
“Quite simply, the Oklahoma Supreme Court got it wrong,” Pruitt said in
a statement last month. “The court completely ignored the profound
historical impact of the Ten Commandments on the foundation of Western
Law.”
Fallin, noting the monument was paid with private funds, said it was
analogous to Christmas lights that are displayed at the Capitol.
“Celebrating the historical importance of religions and religious
values is not a new idea. Our nation is steeped in references to God
and the rights He bestows on all men and women,” Fallin said in a
statement. She added, “None of these represent state endorsement of or
support for any religion. They are celebrations or visual
representations of our culture and events of historical importance.”
In response, the ACLU of Oklahoma called Fallin’s decision “political
grandstanding.” ACLU of Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel said
Fallin’s statement was “unprecedented,” The Washington Post reported.
Lawmakers additionally have proposed legislation to allow the people of
Oklahoma to vote on whether Article II, Section 5 of the constitution
should be eliminated. As a result, the monument will remain intact as
the state appeals the court’s decision and the legislature considers
the proposed changes to the state constitution.
Read this and other articles with links at The Daily Signal
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