THE PEOPLE SPEAK: Ten Commandments promote U.S. unity

July 03, 2009 09:43 am

— Gene Garman’s notion (June 26 letter to editor) that monuments containing the Ten Commandments “encroach” on the “separation of religion and government in the Constitution of the United States” is absurd.
In the first place, there is no “separation of religion and government in the Constitution” as he claims. The only mention of religion in the Constitution is the First Amendment, which states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Which religion would be “established” by any government displaying the Ten Commandments? Is there anyone out there worshipping the Ten Commandments?
As I point out in the final chapter of my book on the Constitution, “The Threat of Anarchy Leads to the Constitution of the United States” — see www.citizensforaconstitutionalrepublic.com/mostert_Chapter%2029.html —there is a marble frieze of Moses carrying the Ten Commandments in the U.S. Supreme Court chambers. The oak doors separating the courtroom from the central hallway contain representations of the Ten Commandment tablets bearing Roman numerals one through 10.
Should Congress have passed a law forbidding the architect from creating those friezes of Moses and the Ten Commandments? If so, why have they been there for 65 years?
Congress cannot constitutionally prevent churches, business organizations or individuals from putting up the Ten Commandments or the Declaration of Independence (which mentions “our creator”) or the U.S. Constitution on their own property, since putting up a monument to anyone or anything is not actually establishing something. In Provo, Utah, a monument containing the Ten Commandments is across the street from the county and federal buildings, situated on property owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s been there for a long time. Visitors often stop and enjoy reading it.
Far from creating hostility, it seems to create unity. Most people seem to agree that living the Ten Commandments creates a better community than ignoring them.
Mary Mostert
Muskogee