State: ACLU sues over Ten Commandments

In what once seemed a near-impossible task in this heavily Protestant hamlet just west of Gainesville, religious civil liberties groups have found residents who are willing to sue the county government for displaying a 6-ton monument of the Ten Commandments on the courthouse steps.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida announced Wednesday that it has filed a lawsuit against Dixie County in federal court.

The suit, which was filed in Gainesville late Tuesday, alleges that the monument violates the First Amendment clause that prohibits government-established religion.

The ACLU says it has about a dozen members in Dixie County, at least one of whom claims harm by the monument as he enters the courthouse to conduct business.

“When the government enters the pulpit to preach to the citizenry, that’s when the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution becomes violated,” said Glenn Katon, an ACLU lawyer. “Dixie County is in effect thumbing its nose at the Constitution by putting up this display, and we look forward to addressing this display in court.”

The Commission, which authorized placement of the monument last year, plans to fight the lawsuit.

Share your thoughts on this story

Read our guidelines for comments

Comments on this article

by Dave	02/09/07 03:05 PM
From the comments that have been posted, I'm very surprised how many people don't understand that these displays are illegal, and purported popular opinion simply doesn't matter. No state could bring back slavery by popular opinion, could they?

by Sharon	02/09/07 05:12 AM
Doesn't the ACLU have anything better to harrass the courts with than a Ten Commandment monument? I think people going to court should be reminded that they shouldn't kill, steal, lie, etc. Maybe they wouldn't be there in the first place!

by Drew	02/08/07 11:07 PM
Give all of us a break. The ACLU gets more ridiculous every year. Do us all a favor and leave the country and take Jessie Jackson with you when you go !!!!!!

by bob part 2	02/08/07 10:28 PM
...speech, or of the press; or the right or the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. There shall also be a separation of religion and the government. or use of religious symbols by the gov.

by bob part 1	02/08/07 10:24 PM
here is the amendment it violates. "Amendment 1. Feedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of....

by lalalala	02/08/07 10:12 PM
this is not right and u christians out there that dont understand why how would you react if they displayed muslim text or jewish text or some other religions text? I will tell you. You would be ferious. So you can just SIT DOWN ANDSHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!

by Jack	02/08/07 10:02 PM
If people dont form groups and stand up for our rights the government will take them away a little bit at a time till we dont have any left just like wat happened in germany we can not alow this to happen stop being ignorant fools!

by James	02/08/07 09:59 PM
the constitution states clearly that there is to be no establishment of religion and there is to be a separation of government and religion. so putting a monement displaying the 10 comandments is against the law.

by Nick	02/08/07 09:55 PM
all of our presidents up to now have been christian and besides why aren't they attacking Bush for breaking the first amendment by setting up programs to force christianity on people in prisons if it's such a big deal.

by Joseph	02/08/07 05:57 PM
When 82% of our citizens express a belief in God, what right do judges or ACLU lawyers pretend to have to deny that public observance to an overwhelming majority because a very small percentage don't agree with that majority? None; in a democracy.

by GEORGE	02/08/07 04:36 PM
Does anyone wonder what this country would be like without the 10 COMMANDMENTS.THERE WOULD BE NO aclu.leave the commandments alone!!

by Dave	02/08/07 01:26 PM
A majority of our forefathers ratified the constitution, which the courts (not the ACLU) have interpreted to mean separation of church and state. If you don't like that, amend the constitution or blame your forefathers - your choice.

by Mary	02/08/07 11:54 AM
Laura - GOD is not a religion!! Maybe once you get past that you can see the absurity of the ACLU's argument! Beside that fact that there is NO separation of church and state ANYWHERE in the Constitution of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!

by Eric	02/08/07 07:23 AM
Give the people of Dixie County the right to vote on the 6-ton monument of the Ten Commandments. And let the majority rule.

by Matthew	02/08/07 05:22 AM
One sentence. Separation of church and state! OK, so it's 2 sentences!

by Bo	02/08/07 03:38 AM
Here's an interesting quote from article, "civil liberties groups have found residents who are willing to sue the county government." The minority that have a problem with the monument had to be sought out and coaxed by the ACLU. ACLU will lose.

by Joe	02/08/07 02:02 AM
Tell me those of you that are ACLU members would you be fine if there was an ammendment that allowed religious expression by the government.I think not. I'd be fine if the ACLU was pro American, but a lot of their case are against Christian ideals

by Georgia	02/08/07 12:45 AM
How much did the ACLU agree to pay the people to come forward so ACLU could file lawsuit that the taxpayers will pay ALL fees. This is the only way ACLU can make money. ACLU can't do pro bono work or handle regular cases. Not smart enough. Donation?

by Mario	02/08/07 12:28 AM
Go go ACLU! It is unacceptable for a display in front of a government building to command us to love and obey any god. That is clearly a violation of the establishment clause.

by el Joel	02/08/07 12:07 AM
The ACLU is about as demonic as Muslims are. how can the 10 commandments "harm" you? so if your face harms me, i guess i have the right to remove it.

by Tina	02/07/07 11:37 PM
If this is so offensive, then why did it take 3 months to find someone offended enough to sue? Its all a deception. Stay out of govt propaganda and love each other. Thats what God would do.

by Ruby	02/07/07 11:21 PM
The ACLU is the most evil and destructive organization in the entire world! I OBJECT strongly that my tax $'s help pay for thier horrendous acts!

by Marcy	02/07/07 10:18 PM
Please tell me how someone is "harmed " by passing the ten commandments. Unless, he's breaking one :-)

by Laura	02/07/07 10:08 PM
COMMANDMENT #3 You shall have no other gods before me. No matter what you believe, when a GOVERNMENT posts that, it effectively is establishing religion. The people may always believe. But gov't can't tell us what to believe! That is American.

by Danny	02/07/07 10:05 PM
hey,what if the court said to you "personally" ok since the ten commandments are so important to you we will pass a law to forever keep them on display,all you have to do is tell us what they are,how about #7? no,how about the first three? no,#1 & 10

by Bubba's nightmare	02/07/07 08:41 PM
I'll donate $10.00 to the ACUL for every person that comments that freedom of speach/ACLU is wrong. The founding fathers were brilliant. At least we can count on the ACLU to uphold our rights!

by stan	02/07/07 08:21 PM
our founding fathers were very clearin their intent to leave religious strife on the shores of europe.the pilgrims came here for religious freedom.many of your readers are ignorant of that fact and duped by the american taliban.aclu is right.

by Richard	02/07/07 07:39 PM
To all you christians that see no problem with it, have the guts ro go to yahoo and type in "our founding fathers were not christian" see what they had to say and you might be surprised that they would be the 1st ones to fight to remove it.

by Bubba	02/07/07 07:23 PM
Leave it to the libturds to fight against the will of the people.

by MICHELE	02/07/07 07:14 PM
EXCUSE ME, HOW IS HAVING THE COMMANDMENTS THERE CAUSING HARM TO THIS PERSON? GIVE ME A BREAK! MAYBE HIS GUILT IN DEALING WITH WHAT THEY STAND FOR IS TO MUCH TO HANDLE!!

by Paul	02/07/07 07:11 PM
The ACLU doesn't want to interpret anything. They are like those people that were looking for the ANY KEY when there computers were booting up in the late 90's. People will be free but not in America. ACLU please leave the country.

by Ronald	02/07/07 06:25 PM
Tipical ACLU - a constant distortion of the 1st Amendment - The 1st Admendment only states that the Feberal cannot establish a Federal or a state church - nothing more or nothing less. It is obvious to me they have not read the Constitution.

by Dave	02/07/07 06:16 PM
All these 'ad hominem' (attacking the person, not the argument) attacks against the ACLU reflect poorly on the people who express them. Say you were speeding and got caught. The court found you guilty. Is it the officer's fault? No, it's the law.

by Lynn	02/07/07 05:41 PM
I feel I'm living in a foreign land - this is not the America I grew up in the 50's & 60's! The ACLU is truly Evil - right behind Muslims!

by Nick	02/07/07 05:40 PM
This is in no way about religion! It is about the Constitution and the law of our nation. No one is taking away any of your beliefs, unless you believe what is written in stone in some random courthouse. Quit taking it personal.

ACLU sues over Ten Commandments

Early edition: It took awhile to find a resident willing to go to court over the 6-ton religious monument on the Dixie County Courthouse steps.