A group of multifaith and non-religious Jefferson County taxpayers and residents filed suit in state court yesterday, seeking to remove a nearly seven-foot-tall Ten Commandments monument from the lawn of the Jefferson County Courthouse. Represented by the ACLU of Illinois, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and the ACLU, the plaintiffs assert that the monument violates the Illinois Constitution\u2019s protections for the separation of church and state.<\/p>\n
Originally placed in the courthouse lobby last year by Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard, the monument was later moved to the lawn immediately outside the Courthouse entrance. While Bullard claimed that the original display was funded by private donations, the lawsuit alleges that he used public dollars to relocate the monument to its current outdoor location, where it is unavoidable for anyone who enters or passes by the courthouse. The monument enumerates a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith today\u2019s lawsuit, Jefferson County taxpayers are standing up for the fundamental constitutional principle that the government must remain neutral when it comes to matters of faith,\u201d notes Freedom From Religion Foundation Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. <\/strong>\u201cErecting a Ten Commandments monument on public property, whether in the courthouse lobby or just outside the entryway, blatantly violates Illinois law.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis Ten Commandments monument represents an intrusion of civil authority into matters of faith,\u201d explains lead plaintiff Pastor Lynn Neal. \u201cAs a minister, I object to my government co-opting my religious beliefs for improper political purposes, usurping my role as a religious leader by promoting an officially preferred version of the Ten Commandments and presenting it outside of its biblical context.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis monument is particularly problematic for me as a Catholic, because it includes a prohibition on using religious iconography, even though depictions of the crucifixion are commonplace in my faith,\u201d said plaintiff Roberta Shallenberger. \u201cHistorically, the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments has been used by some to condemn Catholic religious practice, and showcasing this version on official government property appears to perpetuate and endorse that anti-Catholic bias.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone should be made to feel welcome in Jefferson County, including the nonreligious,\u201d said plaintiff Roberta Evans. \u201cThe Ten Commandments monument in front of the courthouse accomplishes the opposite, and turns the Commandments into a political statement that cheapens their value.\u201d<\/p>\n Plaintiff Calvin McClintock added: \u201cJefferson County government officials used the people\u2019s money, time, resources, and land to promote a particular religious message, at the exclusion of others. Government officials have no business endorsing any religion.\u201d<\/p>\n Filed in Illinois\u2019 2nd Judicial Circuit as a Petition for Writ of Mandamus, the lawsuit comes after the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners voted to retain the monument on county property, ignoring warnings<\/a> from the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the county\u2019s own attorney that the display raised serious legal concerns.<\/p>\n Heather L. Weaver, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said: \u201cThe separation of church and state guarantees that we all have the right to decide, for ourselves, which religious beliefs, if any, people should follow. By sending the message that Jefferson County favors some faiths over others, the Ten Commandments monument intrudes on deeply personal matters. We\u2019ll see Jefferson County in court.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn Illinois, we do not permit local politicians to use the power and authority of their office to promote their religious views,\u201d added Kevin Fee, legal director for the ACLU of Illinois. \u201cOur organization has always worked to ensure that everyone\u2019s religious freedom is respected. This monument \u2013 which must be removed immediately \u2013 attempts to undermine that freedom for many residents. We are pleased to represent these clients in seeking fairness in Jefferson County.\u201d<\/p>\n