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SUPREME COURT: JUSTICE SCALIA DEATH AND SCOTUS CHANGES
(06-18-2019, 09:05 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: June Rulings Pending

[*]Separation of Church & State -- The American Legion v. American Humanist Association: a case from Maryland that tests whether a giant World War I memorial in the shape of a Latin cross is, as the challengers maintain, a symbol of Christianity that violates the Constitution's ban on establishment of religion. The objectors are seeking its removal to private property and an end to taxpayer funding of the cross.

Follow-up:

In a 7 - 2 ruling, the court held the cross did not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment because (1) it was significant as a secular World War I symbol and (2) it acquired historical importance.

Justice Alito wrote the majority opinion. Justice Breyer filed a concurring opinion, joined by Justice Kagan. Justice Gorsuch filed a concurring opinion, joined by Justice Thomas. Justice Kavanaugh filed a concurring opinion. Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring in judgment. Justice Kagan concurred in part. 

Justice Ginsburg filed a dissenting opinion, joined by Justice Sotomayor, writing, "Decades ago, this Court recognized that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution demands governmental neutrality among religious faiths, and between religion and nonreligion. ... Numerous times since, the Court has reaffirmed the Constitution’s commitment to neutrality. Today the Court erodes that neutrality commitment, diminishing precedent designed to preserve individual liberty and civic harmony in favor of a 'presumption of constitutionality for longstanding monuments, symbols, and practices.'"

Case summary and Justice opinions:  https://ballotpedia.org/The_American_Leg...ssociation
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RE: SUPREME COURT: JUSTICE SCALIA DEATH AND SCOTUS CHANGES - by HairOfTheDog - 07-05-2019, 07:54 AM