This idea that US law is based on the ten commandments is clearly bunk. It’s not illegal to commit adultery. Or have graven images. Or have other gods before the judeo-christian god. Or covet your neighbor’s wife. Or to ignore the sabbath. Or to dishonor your parents. The only ones that maybe you have an argument for are murder, theft, and maybe bear false witness, though my sunday school interpreted that in a way that is also not illegal. But we got all those from English common law, rather than the ten commandments. The legal pretense is so thin you can see right through it.
“judeo-christian” oh please most Christians don’t follow the ten commandments and it wouldn’t have mattered since according to Christian theology they were literally never commanded to follow it (Jews were supposedly commanded to do). Here’s just a few examples:
- 1: Its debated but many Jewish people consider praying in front of a symbol (such as a cross or a statue) to be idolatry and thus violating commandment 1.
- 3: Keeping the sabbath, this one is self explanatory
- 5: You shall not kill which Christians have done a lot throughout history (I mean so did Jews but that’s aside the point)
It’s “only unconstitutional if you try to enforce it” means the law is unconstitutional, dumbass fucking judge.
The decision stems from a lack of clarity regarding how prominently the religious text would be displayed, whether teachers would reference the Ten Commandments during lessons, or if other historical documents, such as the Mayflower Compact or the Declaration of Independence, would also be exhibited, the majority opinion noted.
This is absurd. The legal standard is to assume the government will abuse vagaries in the law to violate the Constitution. So the lack of clarity/specificity is itself sufficient reason for an injunction and ultimately striking down the law.
Should be easy to fight: sue to require equivalent displays from other religions, including the Satanic Temple Tenets.
They tried this during the GWB years and had to pull it after the students started asking why their leaders don’t live up to the commandments.
Louisiana. Like Texas but more fetid.
I feel like these will just keep being defaced or torn down. What a huge waste of time and money and energy, something US Republicans are great at.
