Oklahoma ACLU's Lawsuit Against A Pre-Constitutional Memorial

Stigler, Oklahoma is the Haskell County seat and now has become the seat of national attention and contention, created by resident Jim Green. Mr. Green is described as a "long time resident" and a "veteran", but little else has been made publicly known about the man who has filed a federal lawsuit in conjunction with the ACLU against Haskell County for endorsing the placement of a donated Ten Commandments/Mayflower Compact display which was placed on the grounds of the courthouse in November of 2004.

The Ten Commandments display sits in an area on the grounds with memorials dedicated to those who died in the Civil War, WWI and WWII, and the tribute to those of the Cherokee Nation who died during the Trail of Tears. On the back of the Ten Commandments display is the Mayflower Compact.

"I have no objection to the Ten Commandments, and the monument itself is in good taste, but it does not belong at the courthouse," Green said.

Mr. Green did not pay for the display through tax dollars as it was financed through private donations and by funding from area churches, but by electing to sue, regardless of the outcome he will pay through his tax dollars for his right to sue. For a small county like this, a lawsuit will take a heavy toll on all the taxpayers.

Little mention is given to the Mayflower Compact that was written in 1620 and which shares the stone with the Ten Commandments. The Compact declares,

"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&.

Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini (translation - In a specified year of the Christian era), 1620."

Striking isn't it, that the Mayflower Compact wasn't the basis of the lawsuit, when it publicly declares that the land chosen by the colonists has been founded for the pursuit of Christianity and the furtherance of land holdings for King James? How does the ACLU justify naming the Ten Commandments as it's basis for the lawsuit (which is only part of the total Christian religious practice), when clearly the Mayflower Compact endorsed all Christian beliefs?

"Every American is entitled to practice his or her own belief, and our government should never endorse one religious faith over another," said Tina Izadi, an ACLU of Oklahoma staff attorney. "The Haskell County monument sends the message that people who adhere to a particular religious creed have favored status over other residents in the eyes of the court."

Obviously, Ms. Izadi and her fellow ACLU'ers do not consider the historical value of the Ten Commandments, which was the basis of faith of those making the journey to this country and who stridently vocalized that faith in what was the first declaration of sovereignty to a government by immigrants here through the Mayflower Compact. Obviously, those seeking to have the Ten Commandments removed have conveniently ignored the Mayflower Compact which shares the stone with the Ten Commandments.

Who are the people of Haskell County and what do they believe? According to the American Religion Data Archive census reporting of 2000 showed that of the 11,792 Haskell County residents 9,047 residents had a religious affiliation that was Christian based. Of the remainder of the residents, 23.3% of the population was not on the rolls of participating religious organizations or are members of other religious organizations (including Baha i'­, Buddhism, Scientist Church of Christ, Hindu, Jain, Jewish Estimate, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Muslim Estimate, Sikh, Tao, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, and Zoroastrian). So 76.7% of the people living in Haskell County in the year 2000 shared the same religious beliefs as those immigrants signing the Mayflower Compact.

Of the approximately 49 Christian-based religious organizations and their adherents living in Haskell County, it is no surprise that these like-minded individuals would work together to create the funding to dedicate such a display honoring the immigrants to this country who believed in God first, then country. Those immigrants left no doubt of that, one only has to read the Compact to see who was given the highest honor. It wasn't King James, it was God. The people living in Haskell County have given time and money to erect the other memorials to those historical events that have had an impact on their lives, clearly honoring their ancestors for the sacrifices they have made. Based on their tributes to those historical events, it is no wonder that they would choose to erect one that also honors their belief system which was shared by our countries first immigrants.

On the question of Constitutionality and separation of church and state, no laws of the Constitution are broken with this display - it clearly defines the historical impact of Christianity in pre-constitutional government by having both the Mayflower Compact and the Ten Commandments sharing the same stone. The federal judge hearing this case will have to take into consideration the entire picture presented by the stone. The Mayflower Compact was pre-constitution (the presentation of the mutual display can not be held as a violation of constitutionality because of the establishment of the Compact prior to the Constitution and the clear definition of the Christian values of it's authors, which is a tribute to them through the Ten Commandments) - the stone clearly delivers a view that is historical in content and intent. Already established is the constitutionality of memorials or memorabilia located on government land or in government buildings that have religious content, but are historical in nature. Jim Green and the ACLU's lawsuit, based on constitution infringement of the mutual display because it sits on government property, is both frivolous and baseless.

To find out more on how the ACLU wastes taxpayers dollars, please visit Stop the ACLU. It is time to "cowboy up" Oklahoma and fight the good fight.

Thanks to the following for allowing a link of this to their sites:
Stop the ACLU , The Political Teen, Cafe Oregano, and Basil's Blog.