{"id":1690,"date":"2011-11-28T14:22:33","date_gmt":"2011-11-28T19:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/faithandjustice\/?p=1690"},"modified":"2011-11-29T14:53:34","modified_gmt":"2011-11-29T19:53:34","slug":"jay-sekulow-cross-displays-in-military-under-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2011\/11\/jay-sekulow-cross-displays-in-military-under-attack.html","title":{"rendered":"Jay Sekulow: Cross Displays in Military Under Attack"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The aggressive tactics of atheist organizations move into high gear during the Christmas season.<\/p>\n

As I told you recently<\/a>, we’ve sent a letter to the Marine Corps Commanding Officer at Camp Pendleton after an atheist group attacked a war memorial put in place by Marines to honor their colleagues who died fighting for our freedoms in Iraq. In our letter, posted here<\/a>, we explain the law in detail and urge the Marines to stand firm and keep the cross in place. The memorial cross, we argue, is an “apt, appropriate, and constitutionally permissible means of honoring and commemorating the sacrifice of those who have given their life for their comrades and their country.”<\/p>\n

Currently, the Marine Corps is studying the issue and acknowledged to a reporter that the fate of the cross at Camp Pendleton is still unknown.<\/p>\n

“It cannot be determined at this time if the cross will be allowed to stay,” Pendleton’s Office of Public Affairs told a news organization<\/a>. “Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is aware of the memorial cross emplacement and the activity is currently being reviewed by legal staff. Upon completion of the review, findings will be forwarded up the appropriate chain of command.”<\/p>\n

At the same time, the U.S. Army has taken down a cross displayed outside a chapel at a military base in Afghanistan – a cross that is a powerful symbol of sacrifice for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day on that battlefield.<\/p>\n

The news of the removal at the base in Afghanistan was greeted as a victory by the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF)<\/a> saying the removal marks an example of protecting “civil rights and neutrality towards religion.”<\/p>\n

In an interview with FOX News, Jordan put this issue into the proper perspective. You can watch it here.<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=MrwBtWK39S0<\/a>\n

We hear this all the time. These atheist groups go after symbols – in this case a cross – symbols that have been part of the history and heritage of our great nation. Their twisted claim: these displays violate the Establishment Clause. Nonsense. That view of the Constitution is not only deeply flawed, it is offensive to Christians.<\/p>\n

What I have said in the past bears repeating<\/a>. The Constitution does not prohibit honoring fallen troops through the use of a historic symbol merely because that symbol also carries religious significance. In fact, the Constitution forbids excluding religion from every aspect of public life, precisely the goal of the MAAF and other atheist groups.<\/p>\n

Stand with the American Center for Law and Justice now. Sign on to our Petition to Protect the Cross<\/a> – We’re calling on President Obama, Commander-in-Chief, as well as Leon Panetta, the Secretary of Defense, to do the right thing – stand firm and don’t cave in to this strategy of intimidation.<\/p>\n

Add your name now<\/a>. Stand up to the bullying tactics used by atheist groups. Tell our military leaders to stand firm – keep the crosses in place.<\/p>\n

Jay Sekulow<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The aggressive tactics of atheist organizations move into high gear during the Christmas season. As I told you recently, we’ve sent a letter to the Marine Corps Commanding Officer at Camp Pendleton after an atheist group attacked a war memorial put in place by Marines to honor their colleagues who died fighting for our freedoms…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":401,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,427],"tags":[743,490,491,140,476,245,489,791,768,488,161],"class_list":["post-1690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-u-s-military","category-war-memorial","tag-aclj","tag-afghanistan","tag-american-history","tag-atheists","tag-camp-pendleton","tag-cross-memorial","tag-defense-secretary-panetta","tag-jay-sekulow","tag-president-obama","tag-sacrifice","tag-u-s-heritage"],"yoast_head":"\nJay Sekulow: Cross Displays in Military Under Attack - 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\/11\/jay-sekulow-cross-displays-in-military-under-attack.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Jay Sekulow: Cross Displays in Military Under Attack - Faith & Justice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The aggressive tactics of atheist organizations move into high gear during the Christmas season. 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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\/1690","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=1690"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1704,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1690\/revisions\/1704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}