By Regan McCarthy
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-978842.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Dixie County officials are appealing a federal judge's ruling that a five-foot, six-ton monument engraved with the 10 commandments and resting on the court house lawn must be removed. The judge says the monolith violates the separation of church and state, but Regan McCarthy reports locals say the stone is an expression of free speech.
Cross city, a small quiet town in North Florida. It's on the edge of the Bible Belt and, thanks to a recent lawsuit, in the middle of a dispute about a monument featuring the 10-commandments on the Dixie county Court house lawn. Dixie County is recognized as a strongly religious community. It's said to have more churches than gas stations. And the county's commission starts its meetings with prayer
At *this* meeting commissioners are discussing a ruling by federal judge Maurice Paul that find's the placement of a monument engraved with the 10-commandments to be in violation of the constitution. The judge has given local officials 30-days to remove the rock but residents say they want it to stay. Locals are packed shoulder to shoulder leaving standing room only in the commission meeting. Cross city residents want to be sure their opinion will be heard.
"My name's Roy Duice. I don't speak for anyone but myself. Probably some others have the same opinion. My question to everyone here is: Are we going to play political correctness? Are we going to play around the courts? Or are we going to stand up for what's right and just draw the line? I think there's a place we need to draw the line people and I think this is it. That's all I've got to say."
The commissioners agree, voting unanimously to appeal the ruling in a higher court. Commissioner Jason Holifield says his vote reflects what he thinks is right and what his community wants.
"There's a lot of churches here. A lot of good people here in Dixie County. A lot of God fearing people live here."
County Attorney Jennifer Ellison says the county will ask for a stay that would allow officials to leave the stone in place until a ruling on an appeal is filed. Ellison says the Liberty Council, the organization representing the county on this matter will argue that the stone is owned by a private individual, not the county, and is an expression of his freedom of speech and is therefore not in violation of the constitution's provision of separation of church and state.
"The Monument is not permanent. It's not attached to the court house. It's placed in a public forum under the guidelines the county implemented for public forum, private speech within that forum."
For many in the town, like Jason Hurst and Lauren Cassidy, on their way to the grocery store, there is no separation between God and country.
"That's America". "Yes." "If everybody lived like that I think everything would be better, the whole world, everything." "Yes, that's right. I agree."
In fact only one speaker gave credence to the possibility that the monument's placement might violate constitutional ruling. But still he wants the stone to stay.
"The display, in my mind seems to violate a number of the laws and Supreme Court decisions. On the other hand I've got a problem with a bunch of busybodies coming in here and telling us what to do."
The rumor around town is that the initial complaint about the monument came from an out-of-towner. Locals say they think it was someone from Gainesville. In truth it's a case was brought forward by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of one of its members. ACLU Spokesman Derek Newton says an ACLU member is listed as the plaintiff.
"To sue we had to demonstrate that one of our members was negatively impacted by the monument and we gave the court information about one of our members that was negatively impacted by the monument."
Newton says the ACLU just wants to see the monument find a new home, like in a church yard. Barbra Duren, a Dixie County citizen says she doesn't want to see that happen. And she's starting a petition to let the judges know how the people of her county feel.
"We feel very strongly about having it on our courthouse steps. It is something that we all feel very strongly about in Dixie County And it, to me, has nothing to do with religion. It is just something that I feel very strongly about and love seeing it there."
So far she has 22 signatures from a vocal crowd gathered on the courthouse steps.
"There wouldn't even be people if there wasn't God**
County Attorney Ellison says she isn't sure when the next ruling will be made. She says it took the Paul 18 months to make his decision and the county has 30 days to file an appeal.