Alabama revisiting church v. state issue
by Frances Matteck, Reporter
   

   I am not a very religious person, but I believe in God and am proud to be a Christian and live in a nation founded on Christian ideals.
   When the Pilgrims first came to America, it was to escape religious persecution; they wanted to have the right to practice their religion openly. The men who wrote our Constitution were all religious men. The first amendment of that Constitution states that the government must not interfere with the freedom of religion.
   Unfortunately, the first amendment is being violated in Montgomery, Ala. Chief Justice Roy Moore had a monument of the 10 Commandments installed in the Judicial Building among quotes from historical figures and documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, that have contributed to shaping our nation.
   Justice Moore risked reprisal and kept the monument there after a federal judge ordered him to have it removed in November 2002.
   That ruling is not fair; Justice Moore was not forcing anyone to look at the monument or believe the way he did.
   Our system of justice was derived from Christian ideals, and, therefore, Justice Moore believed that the 10 Commandments belonged with the Declaration of Independence and quotes from our forefathers.
   This is not the first incident of Justice Moore attempting to display the 10 Commandments in a government building. In 1992, before he was a chief justice, he exhibited a wood carving of the 10 Commandments in his home courtroom of Etowah County.
   Although I can see the validity of the argument that Chief Justice Moore is violating the concept of separation of church and state since the monument is a religious object placed in a federal building, I cannot agree with it.
   We are a nation built by religious people. Whether it is the Christian God, Allah, Brahma or a nature deity, the majority of Americans today believe in a creator. "In God We Trust" is printed on our money; "One nation under God" is part of our pledge of allegiance.
   Unfortunately, despite hundreds of protesters who camped in front of the judiciary building, the monument of the 10 Commandments was removed from the building's rotunda Wednesday, Aug. 27.
   However, protesters have said that they will continue to campaign to reinstate the monument in public view instead of its new home in the building's media room. Volunteers plan to stand vigil where the monument stood, wearing black T-shirts with the 10 Commandments printed on them.
   As a nation that was founded to obtain freedom of religion, the 10 Commandments is appropriate in a federal building.