Over three dozen organizations want to preserve a historic World War I monument
Organizations and individuals from all kinds of backgrounds from all over the country have rallied together to preserve a historic World War I monument that has stood in Bladensburg, Maryland for nearly 100 years.
In February 2014, an organization known as American Humanist Association challenged the monument, claiming that it violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause because it is in the shape of a cross. The case became known as The American Legion v. American Humanist Association. The Fourth Circuit determined that the monument was unconstitutional in October 2017; however, in 2018 the Supreme Court decided to re-open the case.
Since then over three dozen organizations and individuals have submitted amici curiae encouraging that the Supreme Court reverse the decision of the Fourth Circuit. An amicus curiae is a document submitted by someone who is not a party in the case in order to provide information and insight on case issues. Surprisingly, all amici curiae except one encourage the Supreme Court to reverse the decision determined by the Fourth Circuit. The one exception did not support either party.
Here is a list of those organizations and individuals that submitted amici curiae, though it is not all of them. For a complete list, go here.
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- Medal of Honor Recipients
- Military Order of the Purple Heart
- Retired Generals and Flag Officers
- Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW)
- National World War I Museum & Memorial
- The National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Preservation Maryland
- Citizens United and Citizens United Foundation
- The Rutherford Institute
- The Utah Highway Patrol Association
- Family Members of Soldiers Named on the Peace Cross
- Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence
- Public Advocate of the United States
- Judicial Watch, Inc.
- Liberty Counsel
- National Association of Counties
- Thomas More Law Center
- Major General Patrick Brady and Veterans Groups Erecting and Maintaining War Memorials
- Association of Christian Schools
- Justice and Freedom Fund
- Town of Taos, New Mexico
- Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty
- Foundation for Moral Law
- State of Maryland
- The National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs
- State of West Virginia and 29 other states
- Cato Institute
- The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
- Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty
- 84 United States Senators and members of the United States House of Representatives
- The American Civil Rights Union
- CatholicVote.org Education Fund
- Kamal S. Kalsi
- American Center for Law and Justice
- The Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team of the Religious Freedom Institute
- Family Research Council
- Maryland Elected Officials and Prince George’s County
- Veterans in Defense of Liberty
- Religious Denominations and other Religious Institutions
An amicus curiae encouraging that the Fourth Circuit decision be reversed was submitted by professors from Amherst College, Hillsdale College, Western Connecticut University, George Fox University, Antonin Scalia Law School, and Northwood University.
Additionally, 30 states filed amici curiae encouraging that the Fourth Circuit decision be reversed. Those states are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Detail about the case can be found on the Supreme Court of the United States blog, here.
The argument for the case is set to take place on February 27, 2019.
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