Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Stephen Maturin · 06-18-2002, 05:06 PM

Has anyone been following this story closely? As I understand it, the timeline goes something like this:

7/00 - Judge James DeWeese of the Richland County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas hangs a poster containing the text of the Ten Commandments on the wall of his courtroom as part of a "history of the legal system" display. DeWeese believes that "God is the ultimate authority in law as opposed to the view that man is the ultimate authority on law" and that the Ten Commandments were important in the development of the American legal system.

3/01 - The ACLU files suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, seeking an order requiring Judge DeWeese to take the poster down.

6/11/02 - The federal court rules that posting the Ten Commandments in a courtroom violates the Establishment Clause and orders the poster removed immediately.

6/14/02 - The federal judge denies DeWeese's motion to stay her 6/11 order pending appeal.

6/17/02 - After some Billy Badass media posturing, Judge DeWeese complies with the federal court's order and takes the poster down.

Today - The federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals grants a <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/102439264475820.xml" target="_blank">stay</a> and DeWeese hangs up the poster again. There it'll stay at least until the court of appeals issues its ruling.

Stays pending appeal are nothing new, but this one's likely to remain in effect for a long, long time. The 6th Circuit currently has about half the judges it's supposed to have. I talked with a lawyer today who has an appeal pending there. He's still waiting for an oral argument date despite the fact that briefing was completed almost a year ago!

Gonna be quite awhile before this case shakes out completely, and in the meantime the poster stays right where it is.

abe smith · 06-19-2002, 06:07 AM

How-about enter the courtroom, tear the poster down, be arrested, go to jail, make a Federal case of it.... who has the time to do this? I have the time; but I don't live in Ohio.... Here is a mission for some old Fuck-you-all retiree like me to take a stand for the Constitution & for humankind. Ever read the Supremes's case/decision about *Cohen's Jacket*? There ya go. Abe. I'm sure you can find that briefed on-line; someone know where?

Stephen Maturin · 06-19-2002, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by abe smith:
I'm sure you can find that briefed on-line; someone know where?

<a href="http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=case&court=us&vol=403&page=15" target="_blank">Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971).</a>

Oresta · 06-19-2002, 07:43 AM

A corrollary to Cohn's Jacket might be tee shirts to be worn in those courtrooms where trogdolyte judges post the TCs. On the front the First Amendment; on the back the statement: "Posting the TCs in this courtroom is a violation of the First Amendment, which also protects my right to wear this tee shirt in here: Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971)."

abe smith · 06-21-2002, 05:41 AM

BY GUM, Oresta! I love it! I'll do it! let's do it! Ain no otha organisms but uns going ta do it! YESSSSSS! Abe

Howard · 06-21-2002, 09:20 AM

Personally I can’t get too worked up over the T/C. In fact, I say let ’em hang the damn thing in every school, courtroom and public building in America. Then when people evaluate criteria such as student behavior/performance, crime, divorce and illegitimacy rates, and discover there has been no discernible improvement, we can have the final “I told you so.”

Xtians are determined to do this anyway, so we ought to let them and watch it not work.

Jayhawker Soule · 06-21-2002, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard:
Personally I can’t get too worked up over the T/C. In fact, I say let ’em hang the damn thing in every school, courtroom and public building in America.

But, whose version?

Howard · 06-21-2002, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ReasonableDoubt:

But, whose version?

This guy's:

Self-proclaimed 'Messenger of God' Mr Albert Dibble - a homeless & shoeless former mental patient who smells of urine - believes that God Almighty has charged him with a sacred task: to inform the world of the 'temporary suspension' of the original ten commandments given to Moses, and their replacement by ten new commandments.

Thou shalt kill.
Thou shalt worship no God but Mars.
Thou shalt milk horror and reap political capital.
Thine media shalt spin false witness about civilian casualties.
Thou shalt not cease from carpet bombing on the Sabbath, nor yet in Ramadan.
Thou shalt have nought but disdain for They who urgeth due process of Law.
Thou shalt convince thyself that thou art a new Churchill.
Thou shalt ignore all opinion but that which accordeth with thine own.
Thou shalt covet thy neighbours' oil.
Thou shalt make matters worse.

Oresta · 06-22-2002, 08:31 AM

Quote:

BY GUM, Oresta! I love it! I'll do it! let's do it! Ain no otha organisms but uns going ta do it! YESSSSSS! Abe

It's passive-aggressive querilla tactics.

06-22-2002, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Ten Commandments to Stay in Ohio Courtroom (for now)

Well they're <a href="http://www.tennessean.com/government/archives/02/06/19072858.shtml?Element_ID=19072858" target="_blank">coming down</a> in Tennessee.

[ June 23, 2002: Message edited by: atheist_in_foxhole ]

06-18-2002, 05:06 PM	#1
Stephen Maturin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Broomfield, Colorado, USA Posts: 1,295	Ten Commandments to Stay in Ohio Courtroom (for now) Has anyone been following this story closely? As I understand it, the timeline goes something like this: 7/00 - Judge James DeWeese of the Richland County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas hangs a poster containing the text of the Ten Commandments on the wall of his courtroom as part of a "history of the legal system" display. DeWeese believes that "God is the ultimate authority in law as opposed to the view that man is the ultimate authority on law" and that the Ten Commandments were important in the development of the American legal system. 3/01 - The ACLU files suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, seeking an order requiring Judge DeWeese to take the poster down. 6/11/02 - The federal court rules that posting the Ten Commandments in a courtroom violates the Establishment Clause and orders the poster removed immediately. 6/14/02 - The federal judge denies DeWeese's motion to stay her 6/11 order pending appeal. 6/17/02 - After some Billy Badass media posturing, Judge DeWeese complies with the federal court's order and takes the poster down. Today - The federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals grants a <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/102439264475820.xml" target="_blank">stay</a> and DeWeese hangs up the poster again. There it'll stay at least until the court of appeals issues its ruling. Stays pending appeal are nothing new, but this one's likely to remain in effect for a long, long time. The 6th Circuit currently has about half the judges it's supposed to have. I talked with a lawyer today who has an appeal pending there. He's still waiting for an oral argument date despite the fact that briefing was completed almost a year ago! Gonna be quite awhile before this case shakes out completely, and in the meantime the poster stays right where it is.

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06-19-2002, 06:07 AM	#2
abe smith Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: springfield, MA. USA Posts: 2,482	How-about enter the courtroom, tear the poster down, be arrested, go to jail, make a Federal case of it.... who has the time to do this? I have the time; but I don't live in Ohio.... Here is a mission for some old Fuck-you-all retiree like me to take a stand for the Constitution & for humankind. Ever read the Supremes's case/decision about Cohen's Jacket? There ya go. Abe. I'm sure you can find that briefed on-line; someone know where?

06-19-2002, 07:43 AM	#4
Oresta Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 1,107	A corrollary to Cohn's Jacket might be tee shirts to be worn in those courtrooms where trogdolyte judges post the TCs. On the front the First Amendment; on the back the statement: "Posting the TCs in this courtroom is a violation of the First Amendment, which also protects my right to wear this tee shirt in here: Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971)."

06-21-2002, 05:41 AM	#5
abe smith Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: springfield, MA. USA Posts: 2,482	BY GUM, Oresta! I love it! I'll do it! let's do it! Ain no otha organisms but uns going ta do it! YESSSSSS! Abe

06-21-2002, 09:20 AM	#6
Howard Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 5,864	Personally I can’t get too worked up over the T/C. In fact, I say let ’em hang the damn thing in every school, courtroom and public building in America. Then when people evaluate criteria such as student behavior/performance, crime, divorce and illegitimacy rates, and discover there has been no discernible improvement, we can have the final “I told you so.” Xtians are determined to do this anyway, so we ought to let them and watch it not work.

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