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Court's contempt is commanding
(by Dave Lange - December 17, 2008)
COUNTY LINE, BY DAVE LANGE
Court's contempt is commanding
The American Civil Liberties Union won a 2002 case in which a Richland County Court of Common Pleas judge was ordered to remove a poster of the Ten Commandments from his courtroom. The ACLU successfully argued that it was a violation of the constitutional separation of church and state and a message that people of differing beliefs would be denied equal treatment in court.
Judge James DeWeese responded with a new display that includes what he describes as "humanist principles" next to the Ten Commandments and a statement that he believes in the commandments, not the "principles."
The pesky ACLU filed another lawsuit, calling on the judge to be held in contempt of court and claiming that his continuing display of religious documents defies the U.S. Constitution. But who should be held in contempt for defying the Ten Commandments?
To begin with, the First Commandment from the God of several major religions demands, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Our anti-regulatory leaders are contributing $3,500 for every American to bail out the god of Wall Street and the demon financiers who wrecked our economy. How many of us match that sum in our church offerings?
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain." Lord knows what Judge DeWeese would do if some foul-mouthed politician like Vice President Richard Cheney showed up in his courtroom. Heaven help him if he ever listened to former President Richard Nixon's Watergate tapes.
"Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy." Ohio's sanctioned liquor stores do great business on Saturday, the holy day still observed by Jews. Beer sales are legal and strong on National Football League day, which some people still recognize as Sunday.
"Honor thy father and mother." Domestic courts throughout the land, including the one in Richland County, find many fathers and mothers to be less than honorable. Otherwise, they wouldn't dishonor those parents by removing children from their custody.
"Thou shalt not kill." Sixty-two percent of Americans support the death penalty. Over the past 35 years, 130 inmates have been found to be innocent and were released from our death rows. There's no telling how many innocent people have been sent to their deaths by judges and juries.
"Thou shalt not commit adultery." Former President William J. Clinton and recent New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer are among many fine examples, although Democrats have no monopoly on this sin. Just ask the recent Republican candidate for president how he dumped his first wife.
"Thou shalt not steal." Longtime U.S. Sen. Theodore F. Stevens, R-Alaska, recently was convicted of seven felonies in connection with taking $250,000 in "gifts" from oil interests. Bribes come with strings attached.
"Thou shalt not bear false witness." A death-row inmate is among those who were granted new trials because of exculpatory evidence being withheld by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, a den of Democrats which holds that convictions are more important than the whole truth.
"Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's goods." The Ohio Department of Natural Resources enforces a mandatory-pooling rule that coerces homeowners into yielding their property rights so that neighboring profiteers can drill for gas and oil, despite the explosive dangers.
But let's leave the judging to the judge who knows best.
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