US Supreme Court allows WWI memorial cross to stand
Thursday, Jun 20, 2019
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Thursday in The American Legion v. American Humanist Association that allows a World War I memorial in the shape of a cross to remain standing in Bladensburg, Maryland:
“Bladensburg’s ‘Peace Cross’ honors veterans who gave everything to serve their country, and the Supreme Court’s decision means that the memorial will continue to honor their memory. We commend the court for ensuring that one group’s offended feelings over the memorial won’t diminish the sacrifices of our veterans or dismantle their memory. A passive monument like the Bladensburg Cross, which celebrates those who died to defend our Constitution and acknowledges our nation’s religious heritage, simply does not amount to an establishment of religion.”
ADF filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case on behalf of retired Major General Patrick Brady, a Medal of Honor recipient and one of the most decorated soldiers in American history, plus seven veterans groups representing thousands of living veterans. The brief supported the American Legion’s efforts to protect the memorial, which the American Humanist Association sought to uproot because it is in the shape of a cross.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
“Bladensburg’s ‘Peace Cross’ honors veterans who gave everything to serve their country, and the Supreme Court’s decision means that the memorial will continue to honor their memory. We commend the court for ensuring that one group’s offended feelings over the memorial won’t diminish the sacrifices of our veterans or dismantle their memory. A passive monument like the Bladensburg Cross, which celebrates those who died to defend our Constitution and acknowledges our nation’s religious heritage, simply does not amount to an establishment of religion.”ADF filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case on behalf of retired Major General Patrick Brady, a Medal of Honor recipient and one of the most decorated soldiers in American history, plus seven veterans groups representing thousands of living veterans. The brief supported the American Legion’s efforts to protect the memorial, which the American Humanist Association sought to uproot because it is in the shape of a cross.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
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