The Privately-funded gift to the state of Oklahoma was rejected by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on a 7-2 decision. The ruling opinion said;
" the placement of the monument on the grounds of the state Capitol violate Article 2, Section 5, of the Oklahoma Constitution which prohibits the use of public money or property to directly or indirectly benefit a “church denomination or system of religion.”Here is Section II-5:
Public money or property - Use for sectarian purposes. No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such.
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| David Van Risseghem editor |
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| Rep. Mike Ritze, of Broken Arrow. The monument was a gift from his family. |
Dr. Mike Ritze has been a State Representative and his family gave the gift to Oklahoma as a monument to the history of lawmaking. The ten laws formed the basis of Israeli law.
The US Supreme Court has previously ruled that such displays are constitutional when they are a part of a plural exhibit so as to not favor one sectarian over another. George Will once penned that requirement as a "constitutional clutter" requirement, where nativity scenes can be allowed if you include a menorah and other emblems.
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| Sacred Rain Ritual is okay, but a cross is not? |
We got an explanation of the Oklahoma License plates which commemorate the American Indian form of worship involving shooting an arrow in the sky so God will send rain.
U.S. District Court Judge Joe Heaton, however, shot holes through this argument. According to a report from theTulsa World, Heaton said, “There is nothing about the image that suggests the man is praying or that the arrow he is shooting is sacred…There is nothing about the image that suggests he is worried about rain, or the lack thereof. There is nothing about the image that suggests he believes in one god, no god, or several. It simply depicts a Native American shooting a bow and arrow.”
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| The Sacred Rain Arrow statue remains at a govt. museum, in Tulsa |
In fact, The City of Tulsa owns Gilcrease Museum, which placed the Sacred Rain statue directly in front ofthe main entrance to their museum, yet, somehow that is a legal monument and the Ten Commandments are not? This is despite the Oklahoma Department of Motor Vehicle's explanation of the historic meaning of the "Sacred Rain" ritual. Read more: http://goo.gl/Vd0iqU
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| Edmond's city crest is ruled illegal despite the fact that the cross is not specifically acvocating any message. It could also be commemorating Roman law enforcement. |
So American Indian Rituals can be mandated for any auto registered in Oklahoma, but a cross cannot be on city police cars in Edmond, OK. Go figure?
"There is nothing about the image that suggests he believes in one god, no god, or several. It simply depicts a Native American shooting a bow and arrow."
Tulsa federal court judge
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