{"id":1093,"date":"2011-09-09T11:17:27","date_gmt":"2011-09-09T15:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/faithandjustice\/?p=1093"},"modified":"2011-09-08T17:21:23","modified_gmt":"2011-09-08T21:21:23","slug":"jay-sekulow-new-effort-to-protect-ground-zero-cross","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2011\/09\/jay-sekulow-new-effort-to-protect-ground-zero-cross.html","title":{"rendered":"Jay Sekulow: New Effort to Protect Ground Zero Cross"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>You already know about the legal issues involving the battle over the Ground Zero cross<\/a> – the twisted steel beams – the wreckage from the Twin Towers – formed into the shape of a cross at the site.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You already know about the lawsuit\u00a0filed by the American Atheists<\/a> challenging the cross, claiming that their plaintiffs are experiencing “depression, headaches, anxiety, and mental pain and anguish” – not from the devastating destruction of life caused by the terrorists on 9\/11 – but as a “direct and proximate result of the unconstitutional existence of the cross.”<\/p>\n

You already know about our commitment to defend the cross in court as we prepare to file an amicus brief representing thousands of Americans – standing up for the constitutionality of this historic and vital part of 9\/11 history.<\/p>\n

What you may not know is that there’s a new effort underway to protect this symbol of hope and comfort – a legislative effort by Congressman Michael Grimm of New York. He is introducing legislation entitled the 9\/11 Memorial Cross National Monument Establishment Act of 2011<\/a>, which will establish the 9\/11 Memorial Cross located at the 9\/11 Memorial Museum in New York City as a national monument.<\/p>\n

In an interview\u00a0on Jay Sekulow Live<\/a>, Rep. Grimm said the actual steel beams – part of the wreckage from Tower One – has become a symbol of hope – a symbol of courage – not only for the families who lost loved ones in that tragic attack, but for the countless number of Americans affected by that horrific event.<\/p>\n

“This is the perfect opportunity to take a stand and affirm the fact we are a nation that was built on a belief in God,” he told our radio audience. “Because of our religious freedom you can choose not to believe in God, but that doesn’t mean we should be denying those who do have faith.”<\/p>\n

We couldn’t agree more. We stand ready to defend the cross in court. And, we applaud legislative efforts like Rep. Grimm’s to ensure that this part of 9\/11 history is protected. The fact is that steel cross is a very emotional and powerful symbol – which has the overwhelming support of most Americans<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Whether it’s through legal or legislative means, the Ground Zero cross must remain in place.<\/p>\n

Get frequent updates on this issue and others on our website<\/a> and by visiting the Jay Sekulow<\/a> page online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You already know about the legal issues involving the battle over the Ground Zero cross – the twisted steel beams – the wreckage from the Twin Towers – formed into the shape of a cross at the site.\u00a0 You already know about the lawsuit\u00a0filed by the American Atheists challenging the cross, claiming that their plaintiffs…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":401,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,5,40,170],"tags":[752,743,169,766,332,791,241,335,334,756,333,249],"class_list":["post-1093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-11","category-aclj","category-ground-zero","category-terrorism-2","tag-9-11","tag-aclj","tag-american-atheists","tag-congress","tag-ground-zero-cross","tag-jay-sekulow","tag-jay-sekulow-live","tag-legislation","tag-national-monument","tag-new-york-city","tag-rep-michael-grimm","tag-world-trade-center-memorial-and-museum"],"yoast_head":"\nJay Sekulow: New Effort to Protect Ground Zero Cross - Faith & Justice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2011\/09\/jay-sekulow-new-effort-to-protect-ground-zero-cross.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Jay Sekulow: New Effort to Protect Ground Zero Cross - Faith & Justice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You already know about the legal issues involving the battle over the Ground Zero cross – the twisted steel beams – the wreckage from the Twin Towers – formed into the shape of a cross at the site.\u00a0 You already know about the lawsuit\u00a0filed by the American Atheists challenging the cross, claiming that their plaintiffs…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2011\/09\/jay-sekulow-new-effort-to-protect-ground-zero-cross.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Faith & Justice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-09-09T15:17:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2011-09-08T21:21:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/faithandjustice\/files\/2011\/07\/916782911-300x225.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jay Sekulow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Jay Sekulow: New Effort to Protect Ground Zero Cross - 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He is also Chief Counsel of the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ). Jay Sekulow is one of the leading defenders of constitutional rights and religious liberties in the United States. Over the past 25 years, Jay Sekulow has amassed an unparalleled record of accomplishment, arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court on 12 occasions. His aggressive litigation strategy before the Supreme Court has led to many landmark First Amendment victories. In his first case before the Supreme Court, Jews for Jesus, Jay Sekulow secured the right of religious groups to pass out tracks in airports. In Mergens, Jay Sekulow successfully protected the right of students to form Bible clubs and prayer groups on public school campuses. In Lamb\u2019s Chapel, Jay Sekulow cleared the way for churches to have equal access to public facilities in the same way that other groups are permitted to utilize those facilities. In the Bray and Operation Rescue cases, Jay Sekulow protected the free speech rights of pro-life advocates to be free from criminal prosecution for conveying their pro-life message. In McConnell v. FEC, Jay Sekulow protected the right of young people to engage in the political process by donating to the campaign of their choice. In Pleasant Grove, Jay Sekulow paved the way for governments to be able to display Ten Commandments monuments, and other monuments of their choosing, in public parks. Through the ACLJ, Jay Sekulow engages the political, legal, and cultural battles facing America today. He routinely works with Members of Congress, advising them on proposed legislation and representing them in critical legal matters. Jay Sekulow has also testified before Congress on the constitutionality of proposed legislation. Also, in addition to being a successful Supreme Court advocate, Jay Sekulow is a highly respected broadcaster. Jay Sekulow is the host of Jay Sekulow Live! which airs each weekday on over 850 radio stations nationwide, in addition Sirius and XM satellite radio. He brings insight and education to listeners daily through this national call-in radio program. He is also the host of the ACLJ This Week, the ACLJ\u2019s weekly television program. Jay Sekulow regularly appears on major media outlets, including FOX News, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC, where he is sought out for his vast experience in constitutional law and his unique insight into many of the pressing legal and political issues facing America today. He is frequently quoted in the nation's leading newspapers and often contributes opinion editorials to national publications. Jay Sekulow has also published numerous law review and other scholarly articles. Jay Sekulow has received numerous honors for his groundbreaking legal work in the area of free speech and religious liberties. The Legal Times has named Sekulow one of \u201cThe 90 Greatest Washington Lawyers of the Last 30 Years\u201d and the National Law Journal has twice named Sekulow one of the \u201c100 Most Influential Lawyers\u201d in the United States. In addition, TIME Magazine listed Jay Sekulow as one of the \"25 Most Influential Evangelicals\" in America. Jay Sekulow\u2019s legal work in defense of religious liberties and human rights extends beyond the United States, having founded the ECLJ in Strasbourg, France, which maintains consultative status with the United Nations. He has also opened offices in Pakistan, Africa, and Jerusalem, Israel. Jay Sekulow is a staunch defender of Israel, presenting arguments before the International Criminal Court at the Hague. His efforts in support of Israel\u2019s right to defend itself from terrorist attacks have been commended by Israeli government officials, one official stating, \"Jay was instrumentally-involved in projects that the President of Israel and the Prime Minister put on our national agenda.\" Jay Sekulow also has a passion for educating the next generation of religious liberty advocates. He is a member of the Regent University Law School Faculty as a Distinguished Professor of Law and routinely teaches courses on constitutional law and presents guest lectures. Jay Sekulow has also started educational programs in international human rights law in Strasbourg, France and at Handong University in South Korea. Jay Sekulow is a graduate of Mercer University, earning both a bachelor\u2019s degree and doctor of jurisprudence. Sekulow served on the editorial staff of the Mercer Law Review and graduated cum laude. He later earned a Ph.D. from Regent University, writing his dissertation on American Legal History. Jay Sekulow also serves on the Board of Trustees for The Supreme Court Historical Society in Washington, D.C. Jay Sekulow, ACLJ Chief Counsels full biography and video. Jay Sekulow on Facebook. Jay Sekulow on Twitter. Jay Sekulow on YouTube.","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/author\/jay_sekulow"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/401"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1093"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1099,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1093\/revisions\/1099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}