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For immediate release January 6, 2000 Harlan County Defends Ten Commandments Yesterday Kentucky lawyers Colonel Ronald D. Ray of Crestwood, Theodore H. Amshoff, Jr., of Louisville, and Johnnie L. Turner, of Harlan, the attorneys for the Defendants in the law suit over the posting of the Ten Commandments in Harlan County, Kentucky classrooms, filed five pleadings with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky on behalf of The Board of Education of Harlan County, Kentucky in the matter brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, Doe v. Harlan County School District. Colonel Ray said of the filings;
Because of the ACLUâs misguided policies and aggressive tactics, most people and fewer lawyers know that a U. S. Supreme Court case Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States 143 U.S. 457, (1892), which has never been overturned, unanimously held as a matter of law, fact and history, that America is a "Christian Nation, because Americaâs public institutions are based on Biblical principles." Since the 1960s the history that testifies to the Christian origins of America has been removed from classroom instruction, as have many historic documents with Christian references also disappeared from public life. Yet, there is nothing in the U. S. Constitution or First Amendment to permit censorship or suppression of American history. Harlan Countyâs Board simply wants to teach American history without censorship and/or revision of Americaâs founding principles. Ray said; "Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 39 (1980) specifically recognizes the Constitutionality of teaching American history without censorship and/or revision. As disfavorable as the Stone was for the posting of the Ten Commandments, the decision did allow that when ηthe Ten Commandments are integrated into the school curriculum to be used as part of an appropriate study of history and civilization ethics·â was permissible." For decades the ACLU has sought to cleanse American life and history of any reference to "God." The ACLU holds that "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. (Policy 84) and The ACLU holds that churches and synagogues should be denied tax-exempt status. (Policy 92). While according to ACLU policies God must be eliminate from public life and made private, but its policies would make all forms of sexuality public. The ACLU defiantly defends those who profit from child pornography. (Policy 4). The ACLU holds that prostitution and street solicitation should be legalized (Policy 211). The Harlan Board took as its guiding principle the Declaration of the Kentucky General Assembly in 1992 that;
Even David Hawpe of the Courier Journal agreed with the PERK Committee, formed in 1997 by Governor Jones to implement KRS: 158.195, that "..an educated person should have knowledge of the ways in which religion has contributed to our common life and heritage." "In these lawless and confused times and as children kill each other in state schools the clear intention of the Board of Education of Harlan County, Kentucky (detailed in its 12-30-99 Resolution) in posting the Ten Commandments amid an historical display of other governmental or "state" documents, including the Preamble to the Kentucky Constitution; the Mayflower Compact, an Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence and quotes from the public writings of President Abraham Lincoln," Ray said, "was to present to the children of Harlan County, as Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes opined in New York Trust Co. v. Eisner, 256 U.S. 345, 349 (1921); the truth that ÎA page of history is worth a volume of logic.â Justice Frankfurter also opined in Kovacs v. Cooper, 336, U.S. 77, 95 (1949); ÎIn law also, doctrine is illuminated by history.â" Ray said; "The ACLU seeks to marginalize the Ten Commandments by limiting its historic place in the public life of America. The ACLU seeks to transform the Ten Commandments into an exclusively religious or "church" document. The ACLUâs position on the Ten Commandments is too narrow and is historically inaccurate, because the Ten Commandments is central to the American justice system, its law and government." To review Resolution of the Board of Education of Harlan County and the documents posted call 1 800 837 0544. Information will be posted on the First Principles Internet site www.firstprinciplespress.org
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