American Legion in CA says “Enough,” Brings ADF aboard to defend against ACLU, atheist attacks on vets memorials
Posted on May 25, 2006
The decade-and-a-half assault by one, self-esteem challenged atheist with little more to do than spit on the memory of brave men who gave their lives to defend the freedom the ACLU regularly abuses has resulted in an unprecedented move by the California chapter of the American Legion. The largest veterans organization in the country will announce Thursday a line-in-the-sand campaign to protect veterans memorials from the shameful ACLU assault. Legal muscle is being provided by the Alliance Defense Fund. See the American Legion announcement:
THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA
TO LAUNCH STATEWIDE DEFENSE OF VETERANS MEMORIALS
AT MT. SOLEDAD, MAY 25, 2006SAN DIEGO — The American Legion Department of California will hold a press conference on Thursday, May 25, at 2 p.m., at the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego to announce initiation of an unprecedented statewide Defense of Veterans Memorials Project of the California Department of The American Legion, including its support of efforts to preserve the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial.
“America’s veterans memorials have become a casualty of litigation wars as atheists and special interest organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union pursue their fanatical secular cleansing agendas. We wartime veterans in the American Legion Department of California are fed up with legal attacks on veterans memorials, like the cross memorial at Mt. Soledad, and we intend to fight back through our new California Defense of Veterans Memorials Project,” said American Legion California Department Commander Wayne Parrish.
The Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial became the center of nationwide controversy after a federal district judge, in a lawsuit filed by an atheist, ordered the City of San Diego to tear down a cross at the memorial or face a $5,000 per day fine, payable by taxpayers, until it is destroyed. (Historical timeline available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/MtSoledadHistory.pdf.)
The California Legion’s Defense of Veterans Memorials Project will include involvement in litigation through a cooperative relationship with the Alliance Defense Fund, a public interest legal alliance with more than 850 allied attorneys. Details on the project will be presented at the press conference.
“The California Defense of Veterans Project represents a new dimension in the effort to protect our veterans memorials. We are grateful to the Alliance Defense Fund in coming forward on the legal front to aid veterans in this cause. The American Legion Department of California believes that there ought to be a decent respect for what so many millions of veterans view as sacred–places set aside to honor and remember the service and sacrifice of our fallen comrades in defense of American freedom. We are giving notice today that The American Legion, Department of California, intends to stand and fight in defense of memorials to those who defended America against the courtroom attacks of those offended by America.”
The American Legion Department of California has some 130,000 wartime veteran members. The Defense of Veterans Memorials Project was adopted by unanimous vote of the California Department Executive Committee, involving delegates from some 31 Districts from throughout California, according to Rees Lloyd, Legionnaire and former ACLU staff attorney who has been named Director of the California Defense of Veterans Memorials Project by Commander Parrish.
The national American Legion is the largest wartime veterans in the world with some 2.7 million members. American Legion National Commander Thomas Bock has joined Rep. Duncan Hunter and San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders in calling on President George Bush to use his legitimate powers to make the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial part of the federal park system (www.telladf.org/UserDocs/BockHunterLetters.pdf). Before the court issued its order to tear down the cross, 76 percent of San Diego voters voted in favor of saving the memorial by transferring it to the federal government.
On the legislative front, The American Legion, pursuant to its Resolution 326, Preserve Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial, sponsored by the Department of California and adopted at the 2004 National Convention, has called on Congress to amend the Civil Rights Attorney Fees Act, 42 U.S. Code Section 1988, to eliminate the authority of judges to award attorney fees, or damages, in lawsuits brought under the Establishment Clause against veterans memorials, the Boy Scouts, or the public displays of symbols of America’s history which have a religious aspect.
The Public Expression of Religion Act, HR 2679, sponsored by Rep. John Hostettler (R-Ind) and some 46 co-sponsors would do so. It is pending before the House Judiciary Committee.
Similar legislation supported by the California Department of the American Legion, the “Defense of Veterans Memorials Act,” SB 1499 (sponsored by Sen. James Battin) and AB 2545(sponsored by Assemblyman Ray Haynes) did not pass their respective judiciary committees for a floor vote.
Participants in Thursday’s press conference will include a representative of the American Legion Department of California; other veterans; representatives from the Office of Rep. Duncan Hunter and Mayor Jerry Sanders; Joe Infranco, senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund; and Charles S. LiMandri, regional attorney for the Thomas More Law Center.
Word has it that list has grown, with other heavyweights coalescing to repel this audacious and childish attack on the sacred memory of some of the greatest Americans to ever live. The heroes honored by the Mt. Soledad Memorial, the people of San Diego, and all the patriots who tomorrow will stand together to help save this memorial hold higher, and better, ideals than those who attack these memorials. No one can convince the overwhelming majority of Americans that assaults of this sort by the ACLU honor the sacrifice of people with far more backbone than every ACLU attorney combined. No one can make a credible argument that bulldozing a cross that has stood on that spot in one form or another since the beginning of the last century vindicates the Constitutional rights of ANYONE.
The vicious attack on Mt. Soledad (and the Mojave cross) is a shame the ACLU cannot run away from with slick PR and twisted language. This is one of those times where the cockroaches truly expose themselves — I challenge any ACLU-lovers who monitor this site to deny that this ACLU lunacy is an indefensible confirmation of what this blog and indeed, most of America thinks of the ACLU.
FINALLY: The gentleman running point on the American Legion project is Rees Lloyd. An important thing to know about Mr. Lloyd, aside from his Army service and his 20 years as legal counsel for Caesar Chavez, is that he is a former ACLU staff attorney. The man knows how that insidious organization works from the inside and from his accounts, it’s even uglier than you think.
***UPDATE***
Reese Lloyd, attorney, spear head of the American Legion’s new campaign to protect war memorials in California, and friend of Stop The ACLU appeared on Fox & Friends where he gave the Legion’s point of view on the desecration of veterans’ memorials nationwide at the hands of the ACLU.
During his interview, Mr. Lloyd got a plug in for the Public Expression of Religion Act (H.R. 2679) which is pending in Congress as we speak. PERA would remove the ability for federal judges to award attorney fees reimbursements to be paid by the losing party in Establishment Clause cases.
The ACLU takes a case “pro bono” with the hopes of getting these awards. It is a big money making operation for them. For a non-profit organization, it seems kind of fishy that they are permitted to not only take these cases as they come to them, but they actively search for cases to file.
Why is it that the ACLU has to rely on the awarding of attorney fees reimbursement awards rather than taking a cut of the award like personal injury attorneys do? Congress needs to pass PERA and get the ACLU off the public dime.
[update filed by the one and only Bulldog - Gribbit]
Do your part: Email President Bush and tell him to transfer land to the National Park Service. Sign the ACLJ’s Petition.
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, ACLU, Church And State, News
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23 Responses to “American Legion in CA says “Enough,” Brings ADF aboard to defend against ACLU, atheist attacks on vets memorials”
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I wish the project luck. Rees Lloyd is awesome!
“…decade-and-a-half *assault* … *spit on* the memory of brave men … audacious and childish *attack* … *vicious attack* on Mt. Soledad … those who *attack* these memorials … *assaults* of this sort…”
Not to into hyperbole, are we? Such hostility in you!
How do you feel when hillbilly schoolchildren in Appalachia flaunt court mandates by babbling the Lord’s Prayer during moments of silence? Such *arrogant attacks* on the U.S justice system! Such unbelievable and *vicious* scorn for due process, such a horrifying *assault* on everything this nation stands for!
Do you know the definition of “hyperbole?” Apparently not. I guess you would call this a “noble crusade.”
Regarding the students: Looks like you oppose the Free Exercise clause and the First Amendment rights of individuals to express their faith publicly.
“Due process?” What are you talking about? Your wealth of ignorance is astounding. You have no grasp on American history or law. Don’t you get tired of humiliating yourself?
“Do you know the definition of ‘hyperbole?’”
Obviously. Another fine example is your headline, which mentions “atheist attacks on vets memorials.” Let me ask you:
1. Do you have evidence that those reponsible for having the Soledad cross removed are in fact atheists?
2. Do you genuinely think their machinations are aimed at devaluing the contribution of war veterans to the United States?
I’ll help. The answer to both questions is “no.”
If you had a legitimate point, you wouldn’t have to bend over backward in stretching the truth; simply relating the facts would be sufficient. But that’s not how it’s done here and never has been, so party on in la-la land. I do, however, enjoy picturing some wild-eyed, paranoid Bible-beater bashing away madly and angrily at his keyboard, wholly oblivious to how ridiculous his unduly confident take on U.S. law is. And at least you can spell.
Side note: How “prayerful” is it for a bunch of brainwashed schoolkids to start belting out Bible passages out of sheer defiance? Do you really think that Jesus, had he existed in the first place, would approve?
“1. Do you have evidence that those reponsible for having the Soledad cross removed are in fact atheists?
2. Do you genuinely think their machinations are aimed at devaluing the contribution of war veterans to the United States?
I’ll help. The answer to both questions is “no.”
Prove it.
“How “prayerful” is it for a bunch of brainwashed schoolkids to start belting out Bible passages out of sheer defiance? Do you really think that Jesus, had he existed in the first place, would approve?”
Absoluteley, and there are plenty examples of that in the Bible.
“I do, however, enjoy picturing some wild-eyed, paranoid Bible-beater bashing away madly and angrily at his keyboard, wholly oblivious to how ridiculous his unduly confident take on U.S. law is.”
As we enjoy picturing a lonely retard who bangs away at his keyboard in frustration at the fact no one listens to him. Its okay to cry. But that’s right, you have your “advanced” education to sustain you through your impotent frustration.
#1. There is evidence that the man who started this attack on Mt. Soledad is an athiest.
For sixteen years atheist, Phillip Paulson, claiming he wants to maintain neutrality between government and religion, has been waging an unrelenting war against the Mt. Soledad Cross that is the centerpiece of the historic Veterans Memorial in San Diego. However, Paulson’s comments on the website of the Atheist Coalition of San Diego reveals his true motivation is hatred for Christianity.
Paulson goes so far as to state; “We need to attack Jesus…” Those comments, followed by vulgar remarks about Christ, God and the Virgin Mary are so crude and offensive that the Thomas More Law Center will not repeat them. However, Richard Thompson, President of the Law Center commented, “These remarks show the plaintiff to be nothing more than a foul-mouthed anti-Christian whose agenda is not to defend the Constitution, but to attack Christianity.” http://www.thomasmore.org/news.html?NewsID=362
#2.It doesn’t matter if his aim is to devalue what war veterans have done. Regardless of his aim, the act does degrade what our war veterans have done. He lacks respect in that area.
Now maybe you should run along and humiliate yourself somewhere else.
My questions:
“Do you have evidence that those reponsible for having the Soledad cross removed are in fact atheists? [And] do you genuinely think their machinations are aimed at devaluing the contribution of war veterans to the United States?
The answer to both questions is ‘no.’”
apostle’s reply: “Prove it.”
Hold on. You’re asking me to “prove” something that’s already self-evident (that Glib Fortuna provided no evidentiary basis for attributing this “attack” entirely to atheist interests? I realize tat the man you’re demonizing is an atheist, but do you think that s everyone in the ACLU (the organization ultimately responsible for legal action) is an atheist?
I also think it’s as funny as can be that you idiots howl and howl about someone being an atheist, as if not believing in faery tales is akin to being a child molester or a murderer. If the man had no constitutional backing for his complaint, it would have been DOA. Whether or not you douche bags think he’s moral scum for not brandishing outdated superstition like a badge of honor is immaterial.
apostle again: :As we enjoy picturing a lonely retard who bangs away at his keyboard in frustration at the fact no one listens to him.”
No one? I agree that you’re probably a nobody in real life, but I haven’t seen a post of mine pass without you putting in your counterfeit, barely legible two cents. If you think my voice and opinions count for nothing, then shut up and ignore what I write.
From Jay:
“Now maybe you should run along and humiliate yourself somewhere else.”
If you thought I were being humiliated in any way here you wouldn’t encourage me to leave, you’d relish the opportunity to help. Unfortunately you appear to be lying again.
I don’t really have to encourage you to leave. If I was really concerned about that I would just ban you. I think its fun to watch you make a fool of yourself.
Brain,
“wild-eyed, paranoid Bible-beater, Whether or not you douche bags”.
You have a tendency to use gratuitous profanity and obscenity for the shock value.
You have refrained from profanity but your personal attacks and lack of respect are growing tiresome.
You are a guest here, act like one!
“If you think my voice and opinions count for nothing, then shut up and ignore what I write.”
Fair enough. You can do the same and go back to that joke of a blog you have and pretend someone is listening. If you don’t think StopThe ACLU’s opinion accounts for anything, shut up and ignore what they write.
Jay, Gribbit said the same thing (”I like watching you make a fool of yourself”) right before he started unregistering my username(s), editing and deleting my posts, and barring me from commenting on his entries, so if I ever appear skeptical, forgive me.
lobo, I don’t do anything for “shock value.” If I appear out of line in terms of the word choices I make it’s in all likelihood because I’m a godless turd who is gleefully oblivious to the fact that one day he and the other liberal heathens are going to be fricaseed for all time in a terribly unpleasant locale.
As for why I return here in spite of constantly being forced to wonder why some people are averse to basic fact-checking, I’ll only say that this blog is unique.
I went to the press conference today and took pictures:
http://littlerockatthecove.blogspot.com/2006/05/american-legion-press-conference-at-mt.html
Brainless–
I’m beginning to think you are a hard-core Conservative having fun on this blog playing the prototype Leftist moron.
Phillip Paulson is a self-admitted atheist. Nice try at an argument.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20040806-1508-soledad.html
Brainless–
I’m beginning to think you are a hard-core Conservative having fun on this blog playing the prototype Leftist moron. Your absurdity is unbounded by any attachment to reality.
To address one of your idiotic “challenges”: Phillip Paulson is a self-admitted atheist who is very active in the atheist (bowel) movement. Whether his primary purpose in this legal hissy-fit is to desecrate dead vets matters little. The practical impact is just that. Nice try at an argument.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20040806-1508-soledad.html
Tell me Brainiac, whose high principles is this pus-puddle defending?
The ACLU preaches atheism as that is all supporting no religion really is. Christians who preach atheism are have at best broken their oath to make Jesus Lord of their life. Take Mt. Soledad for instance, the atheist admits that he saw the cross and said that has to go because it is Christian. He is declaring an attack on a “Christian” symbol. So what kind of Christian will ally themselves with him to attack this Christian symbol.
One sect of Muslims used to go around defacing artwork that depicted animals or people because they believed it idolatry. This atheist and his supporters are doing the same thing.
“averse to basic fact-checking”
brain–
You never cease to amaze. The hilarity of the claim you make above is that you challenged me on the plaintiff’s atheism when it has been well-established in public legal documents, news reports and self-description, hence easily “fact-checked.” Pot meet kettle.
Wouldn’t we honor our brave men who gave their lives to defend the freedom by having a memorial that better represented all of them?
Where all the brave men Christians? I doubt it? Who many men are you disrespecting by having a cross in their name. How would a Christian like a Star of David to be remembered by?
I think most of you will agree that 99% of the people who appose the ACLU are theists. Theists in this country usually talk about their outstanding ethics and morality. Keeping the ethics and morality of their elected officials aside, it seems obvious from this article that theists have terrible ethics and morality. They are only moral when it suites their needs.
Most of you are a disgrace to your own core beliefs.
Leandro
FreeThinker
Blog at:
http://www.freethoughtnews.com/blog/2006/05/support-aclu.html
Leandro: If you actually did some research, you’d see that the Cross is an international sign of mourning. Not just Christian. We put crosses on the graves of our dead soldiers because this country was founded on Biblical principles, an idea you atheist libs keep trying disprove. We’ve honored dead soldiers with the Cross from day one. We have had every single president in our nation’s history swear on the Bible. Whether or not the people in government are Christian or not, this country has used Christianity as a foundation since its founding. That is why Arlington Cemetary is full of Crosses as well.
“Most of you are a disgrace to your own core beliefs.”
And you are a disgrace to America, and to the idea of “free-thinking.”
Ever been to Arlington National Cemetery? If you’re even in DC, make sure you visit. It’s a pretty humbling scene. But among the crosses you’ll see the Star of David, the star and crescent, and many other religious symbols. They don’t just slap a cross on every grave.
Captain Rational,
You seem to miss the point. It is an atheist who wants to tear down the cross and not the family of one of the soldiers. The atheist believes it is governmental endorsement of the Christian religion. An ideal I believe is nonsense since the Statue of Liberty is the goddess of liberty and no one has proposed tearing it down because the government is endorsing her worship.
I get what you guys are trying to say. I’m just letting Mr. Apostle know that a cross on a soldier’s grave indicates nothing other than the fact that the guy buried under it was a Christian. It has nothing to do with national tradition. Hell, Arlington even allows the atheist symbol to be emblazoned on headstones!
And unless a 300-foot dead soldier is buried under that gigantor cross in San Diego, maybe it shouldn’t be there.
Captain Rational,
So according to you the 151 foot 1 inch idol of the goddess liberty that is located on Ellis Island should be torn down because is violated the seperation of church and state.