Washington – The Supreme Court will allow a 40-foot memorial cross to remain standing on public land in Maryland.
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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was not happy with the ruling Thursday and read her dissent out loud to emphasize her opinion.
“By maintaining the Peace Cross on a public highway, the Commission elevates Christianity over other faiths and religion over nonreligion,” the Jewish jurist said.
Seven of the court’s nine justices voted to allow the Bladensburg Cross, a memorial to soldiers killed in World War I, to stand. Ginsburg was joined in her dissent by Sonia Sotomayor.
Justice Samuel Alito Jr., who wrote the main opinion, said the cross had taken on meanings outside of just the Christian faith.
“For some, that monument is a symbolic resting place for ancestors who never returned home,” he wrote. “For others, it is a place for the community to gather and honor all veterans and their sacrifices for our Nation. For others still, it is a historical landmark.”
The ruling drew criticism from the Anti-Defamation League.
“This decision unfortunately undermines well-established precedents safeguarding the separation of church and state,” the group’s national director, Jonathan Greenblatt, said in a statement.
The Interfaith Alliance, led by president Rabbi Jack Moline, also condemned the decision.
“The Bladensburg Cross is neither truly representative of the diverse personal faith, philosophy or conscience of the local servicemembers for whom it was built to honor, nor do we see this ruling as honoring the powerful meaning of the Latin cross for devoted Christians,” Moline said in a statement.
The “Peace Cross”
Named for the so-called Prince of Peace.
RBG is right this time.
Agudah supports this ruling only the leftist Jews who hate the religious don’t like it. Justice Thomas’s concurring opinion should have been the majority where he says that anti religious people don’t have standing just because they get triggred by anything religious.
A lot of Jews fought and died for this country so where do they put the 40 ft Jewish star — not that they need it.
I used to drive by this thing. It is right on the DC/Maryland line, if I recall. It always seemed to be in need of maintenance. I always figure the Legion built it so long ago, but want to palm off the upkeep to the government.
Separation of Church and State protects the Jewish Yishuv in the US and should be supported by all Jews. Cheers to RBG on this one. Understand why the Chabad fight for Chanukah Menorahs davka on government property endangers our freedoms?