In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an excavator named Frank Silecchia uncovered a 4,000 pound broken I-beams that bore an striking resemblance to a cross. Soon after a Franciscan priest blessed the cross to be used as a "point of refuge" for those digging through the rubble. Dubbed the "Miracle Cross", it became an iconic symbol of resilience for the scared landscape of Ground Zero.
Shortly after, the cross was moved to the Old St. Patrick Church one block northeast of Ground Zero and then on to a temporary 9/11 Memorial section at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan along with another icon of the WTC, the smashed globe from the WTC Plaza.
Fast forwarding through the years of clean up, planning and rebuilding, it was decided that the "Miracle Cross" would find its finally resting place at the new National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the new, improve WTC complex. But, some took exception. In 2011, American Atheists Inc. filed a lawsuit against the Museum to bar the cross from the Museum on the grounds of "separation of church and state". Since the Museum was to be partly funded by the federal government they argued that the cross was a nefarious Christian plot to indoctrinate the masses and would be offensive to...oh, you know what their argument was. The idea that they might have to look upon a cross offended their weak little minds.
Late last year, a federal court judge did not buy their reasoning and ruled against American Atheist Inc. They appealed the judge's decision (not surprising) and this week they got their answer. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued their decision this week:
So the Miracle Cross gets to stay to continue its life as a point of refuge and resilience for all.
Shortly after, the cross was moved to the Old St. Patrick Church one block northeast of Ground Zero and then on to a temporary 9/11 Memorial section at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan along with another icon of the WTC, the smashed globe from the WTC Plaza.
Fast forwarding through the years of clean up, planning and rebuilding, it was decided that the "Miracle Cross" would find its finally resting place at the new National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the new, improve WTC complex. But, some took exception. In 2011, American Atheists Inc. filed a lawsuit against the Museum to bar the cross from the Museum on the grounds of "separation of church and state". Since the Museum was to be partly funded by the federal government they argued that the cross was a nefarious Christian plot to indoctrinate the masses and would be offensive to...oh, you know what their argument was. The idea that they might have to look upon a cross offended their weak little minds.
Late last year, a federal court judge did not buy their reasoning and ruled against American Atheist Inc. They appealed the judge's decision (not surprising) and this week they got their answer. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued their decision this week:
“[Given] the absence of any evidence of ulterior religious motives, and the undisputed historical significance of The Cross at Ground Zero, we conclude that, as a matter of law, the record compels the conclusion that the actual purpose of displaying the cross in the September 11 Museum is a genuine secular interest in recounting the history of extraordinary events,”
So the Miracle Cross gets to stay to continue its life as a point of refuge and resilience for all.
26 comments:
Thank you for the nice story with a happy ending.
One word: AMEN!!
That's great news, Bev!
I think most folks are sick and tired of these whiny imbeciles who are terrified of crosses converting them against their will.
Glad to see these judges didn't buy it.
Huffington Post had an article where someone claimed the cross was "discrimination". Apparently, the word "discrimination" now means "mildly annoyed".
Kit - Yes, it discriminated against people with guilty consciences and who lack compassion. I have very little patience for fringe atheist groups. They are no better than the Westboro Baptists
Thanks Koshcat!
Rustbelt - No, you can say that. It discriminates against people who...oh, you make something up. All I can do is just shake my head at it all.
Adm Ben - I don't get it. I grew up in Texas during the Madelyn Murray O'Hair years. If you don't know who she was, then look her up. She founded the American Atheists and in a nutshell, she could be said to have been responsible for getting prayer banned in public schools. As these things go, the SC did not "ban" prayer. They actually ruled that it could not be compulsory for which I actually agree. It shouldn't be compulsory, But, as these things go, the ruling has morphed into an outright ban in many school systems. Which has morphed into a rapidly growing intolerance for public expressions of religious freedom. Our basic "Freedom OF religion" has been overtaken by "Freedom FROM religion".
I'm waiting for the Atheists to demand that the crosses that lie over the bodies of our honored dead around the world be dug up and replaced with some sort of secular monument.
I forget which album it was on but the great poet Bob Seger had a song called Little Victories. Every once in a while the good guys win one.
GypsyTyger
What I find interesting here is what this really means vis-a-vis the left. They don't want equality. They don't want even want a world free from offense, as they are more than happy to offer offense. What they want is the government to ban the views of those their dislike, nothing less.
Score one for the good guys here! Thanks Bev! :D
LL - It wouldn't shock me if they haven't already tried. They have been somewhat successful in getting the Ten Commandments removed from courthouse lawns and rotundas. I have to give some groups credit for creativity.
In Oklahoma, the area Satanists have made provocative bid to place a 7-foot statue of Satan on the lawn of the state capital. I have to say, that I am all for it. If the religious argue that their rights are being trampled by the removal of the Ten Commandments or the banning of holiday displays on government property, they can't very well then turn around and deny that to other religious groups, even Satanists.
Bev, I think a 7 foot tall statue of Satan would be awesome. I would then want my religion represented too, which involves the God Pigeonous... a fifty foot tall pigeon thing with horns which poops rainbows on all statues within its presence. I can see Pigeonous squatting down on Satan now. :D
***News Update*** Oops, it looks like Gov. Cuomo the 2nd is entering some hot water with his dismissal of his Ethics Committee that was supposed to be investigating state ethics violation "to clean up Albany." It looks like Gov. Andrew and his administration are being investigated by my favorite, butt-kicking US Attorney Preet Bharara. (Is it possibly to have a crush on a US Attorney??) For those of you have read my earlier posts, Mr. Bharara is the one who has been prosecuting and successfully winning convictions against so many of our elected officials - 25+ over the last 5 years...I will bring myself up to speed on the issues against Cuomo and report next week...
***End News Update***
Andrew - I think a giant statue of Pidgeonus, God of Commentarama and Bloggers would be a great idea! And if we play our cards right, we can declare ourselves a tax exempt religious organization too!
What I would love to see is the Pagans openly and ceremoniously declaring that all trees, bushes, and plants are the sacred symbol of their religion...and then watch the Atheists sue to have all the trees, bushes, and plants removed from government property because it is a violation of the state/religious separations and they feel discriminated against because they must see the trees/flowers/bushes/grass etc...
Bev, I think it would be great too! I'd love to be tax exempt!
I think it would be awesome to get these groups fighting each other over truly stupid, insane stuff. That would b fun! :D
Interestingly, a group of Christian fundamentalists tried to have the Harry Potter books removed on the grounds that they promoted Wicca and therefore "violated separation of church and state".
Really.
Kit - And they were just as ridiculous...
Bev,
Actually, I'd say it was even more ridiculous. At least the cross has a major connection to Christianity.
Good point, Kit. Btw, does anyone sense a pending disaster movie plot with Ebola patients being moved to Atlanta?
May I ask something a little off subject? The Daily Kos and HuffPo are both carrying stories that the republicans don't want to pass a resolution honoring Pope Francis...now, I'm curious, the only places I can find this story are in those two websites and let's face it, they're both left wing and anti Republican....another observation...when did the Democrats fall in love with the Catholic Church?
Critch - interesting. I am thinking it just another ploy to make Boehner et al look bad. We have never passed such a resolution before and what must those rabid Separationists think? And somehow I doubt Pope Francis will be too broken up about it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/30/republicans-bill-pope-francis_n_5634132.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
I did find an old Breitbart article where the Dims voted against honoring Lady Thatcher....You're right, the His Holiness doesn't strike me as the type to be too worried about this..if it's even true....
Since this is the most recent thread...
Here's a shout out to Andrew for Derrick Brooks (Tampa Bay) being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame! Congrats, man!
Thanks Rustbelt! Brooks truly deserves it. He's one of the nicest people on the planet and a hell of a football player.
You forgot to mention the best part. It will annoy the hell out of the jihadists who count 9/11 as a victory for Islam.
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