August (Web-only) 2003

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The Ten Commandments still stand in the Alabama judicial building. Yesterday, a federal court accepted a lawsuit to block its removal, and has set a hearing for tomorrow. Meanwhile, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson is calling for Christians to travel to Montgomery and engage in civil disobedience to keep the monument where it is. "If the American people, Christians and others, don't stand up now, they won't be able to protect these freedoms in the future," said new Focus president Don Hodel. "It will be too late." But other evangelicals disagree. Southern Baptist leader Richard Land says Moore should not support rebellion against this government while remaining an official of that government.

As a result of all this heating up without resolution, there are dozens of fascinating articles on the subject. No time to critique them all—or even to summarize. The links are below in convenient categories.

Commandments supporters sue to keep monument:

• Commandments monument backers file suit | The lawsuit to block the monument's removal was filed in federal court in Mobile on behalf of a Christian radio talk show host and a pastor. It says a forced removal would violate the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion (Associated Press)
  
  
• Moore backers plan suit (Montgomery Advertiser)
  
  
• Suit takes new tack in Decalogue fight | Removing a Ten Commandments monument from the state Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala., would violate citizens' First Amendment rights, lawyers said in a federal lawsuit filed yesterday (The Washington Times)
  
  

Roy Moore's suspension:

• Ala. judge relents on monument | Chief justice is suspended for defying federal order (The Washington Post)
  
  
• Judge suspended for defying court on Ten Commandments | Moore will face a trial by the Court of the Judiciary of Alabama, which will rule if he should lose his job permanently (The New York Times)