Opponents to San Diego cross subpoena members of Congress

[Joanie Baloney]

Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

WASHINGTON – Opponents of a 29-foot-tall cross that stands on public parkland in San Diego have subpoenaed three local members of Congress who supported federal legislation designed to shield the monument from legal challenges.

The subpoenas were served on GOP Reps. Darrell Issa, Brian Bilbray and Duncan Hunter last month in connection with a lawsuit over the cross filed by the Jewish War Veterans and individual Jewish and Muslim plaintiffs. Issa and Hunter were subpoenaed for documents. Bilbray was subpoenaed for testimony.

The lawsuit against the Defense Department and the city of San Diego contends that the cross, dedicated in 1954 in honor of Korean War soldiers, excludes veterans who are not Christian.

(snip)

Issa's spokesman, Frederick Hill, called the subpoena a “nuisance subpoena” and said that Issa “has no intention of voluntarily assisting this attack on freedom of religion.”



Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070420-1511-ca-crossdispute.html

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Yeah...damn frivolous judges....issuing "nuisance subpoenas" just for fun. I'm sure that's what they do in their spare time.

[Igel]

1. My particular sect doesn't use a cross, and

believes that since it's pagan in origin it's to be avoided. My mother gave me a cross years ago, thinking that I'd like it. It didn't stay in my possession for 20 minutes--she left the room and it was buried in the trash. If we had services in rented halls that had a cross, we threw a towel over it or put it in a closet.

I don't have a problem with that cross, or a cross on any other memorial. IMHO, that cross isn't expressing a religion, it's expressing something through a religious symbol. That both Xians and anti-Xians have decided otherwise doesn't matter--almost anything can be reinterpreted, given enough ill-will and self-interest.

[Cobalt-60]

3. These modern replicas of Roman execution devices are pretty creepy

Theres a particulary vile example near the intersections of I-57 and I-70 in Illinois.
I'd love to scrap it out. Steel goes for 130 a ton.

[MindPilot]

5. I don't have a problem with crosses on memorials either

Except in this case, the cross sat on public land all by itself. The area was used for easter services, but there was NEVER a service on Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, V-E day, or any other war-dead remembrance occasion. It did not become a "memorial" until the court ordered it removed in 1989. Only then was a memorial built in an attempt to circumvent the court order by saying "look, that's not a religious symbol on government land, it's a WAR MEMORIAL." Nope, no matter how much lipstick they put on that pig, it is still an absolutely despicable exploitation of veterans.

[brentspeak]

2. They should add a Star of David and other religious symbols

instead of taking the cross down. Hard to believe I'm actually on the same side with Darrell "Car Thief" Issa on this issue.

[MindPilot]

4. Make it a monument to religion...nice way to say screw the Atheists.

And that would how many symbols exactly? There are hundreds of religions and keep in mind that cross is 29 feet tall; all the other symbols would have to be the same size. And will you be asking the taxpayer to foot the bill for your (almost) all-inclusive religious display?

It doesn't matter how many religions are represented, it is still government land and any or all symbols would still show preference of religion over no religion and still be a violation of the first amendment establishment clause.