Veterans Groups Ask U.S. Supreme Court to Save Memorials, Oral Arguments Tomorrow
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, representatives from the largest veterans organizations including The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), held a news conference at the National Press Club to highlight Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, an historic case that impacts war memorials across the country. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow.
"This Veterans' Day is a unique convergence; today we honor our veterans' sacrifice; but at the same time, we have to fight to keep their memorials from being removed," said Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel of Liberty Legal Institute, the non-profit legal organization representing the veterans.
An historic coalition of the six largest veterans groups, with more than 4 million members, filed an amicus brief in the case petitioning The Supreme Court to save war memorials. Amici include The American Legion, VFW, MOPH, Non-Commissioned Officers Association, Veterans of the Vietnam War/Veterans Coalition, and American Ex-Prisoners of War.
Pleasant Grove City v. Summum arose when Summumsued the City of Pleasant Grove, Utah, for refusing to erect a monument bearing Summum's seven aphorisms in a public park which also displayed a Ten Commandments monument. Summum argued the city violated its First Amendment freedoms; the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, ruling that the presence of any donated monument creates a public forum that then requires the acceptance of any other monument.
"If this ruling stands, any city or government that has accepted a donated monument will now be forced to accept any other monument, or be compelled to remove all monuments," said Jerry Manar, Esq., deputy director of the National Veterans Service Program of VFW.
Veteran Jim Sims, national senior-vice commander of MOPH, spoke of the impact on veterans. "To tear down memorials honoring so many soldiers would be terrible," he said. "It impacts not just the men and women who wore the uniform, it also impacts their fathers, mothers, spouses, and children."
"Monuments for our warriors all across America are in jeopardy," said Craig Roberts, media relations manager for The American Legion. "They are bridges to our past and reminders that without the sacrifices of those they honor, there is no future."
"This case is only the newest attack on veterans memorials," said Hiram Sasser, director of litigation at Liberty Legal Institute. "In San Diego and the Mojave Desert, two separate crosses that have stood for over 50 years as veterans memorials have been assaulted by those trying to remove veterans memorials. If The Supreme Court does not reverse the ruling, no veterans memorial will be safe."
Liberty Legal Institute is a non-profit legal organization committed to the defense of religious freedoms and First Amendment rights. For more information, visit www.saveourmemorials.com.
