CONTACTS:
ACLU of Illinois: Ed Yohnka, eyohnka@aclu-il.org
Freedom From Religion Foundation: Amit Pal, apal@ffrf.org
ACLU: Ella Wiley, media@aclu.org
MOUNT VERNON, I.L. —A group of multifaith and non-religious Jefferson County taxpayers and residents filed suit in state court today, seeking to remove a nearly seven-foot-tall Ten Commandments monument from the lawn of the Jefferson County Courthouse. Represented by the ACLU of Illinois, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and the ACLU, the plaintiffs assert that the monument violates the Illinois Constitution’s protections for the separation of church and state.
Originally placed in the courthouse lobby last year by Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard, the monument was later moved to the lawn immediately outside the Courthouse entrance. While Bullard claimed that the original display was funded by private donations, the lawsuit alleges that he used public dollars to relocate the monument to its current outdoor location, where it is unavoidable for anyone who enters or passes by the courthouse. The monument enumerates a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments.
“With today’s lawsuit, Jefferson County taxpayers are standing up for the fundamental constitutional principle that the government must remain neutral when it comes to matters of faith,” notes Freedom From Religion Foundation Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Erecting a Ten Commandments monument on public property, whether in the courthouse lobby or just outside the entryway, blatantly violates Illinois law.”
“This Ten Commandments monument represents an intrusion of civil authority into matters of faith,” explains lead plaintiff Pastor Lynn Neal. “As a minister, I object to my government co-opting my religious beliefs for improper political purposes, usurping my role as a religious leader by promoting an officially preferred version of the Ten Commandments and presenting it outside of its biblical context.”
“This monument is particularly problematic for me as a Catholic, because it includes a prohibition on using religious iconography, even though depictions of the crucifixion are commonplace in my faith,” said plaintiff Roberta Shallenberger. “Historically, the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments has been used by some to condemn Catholic religious practice, and showcasing this version on official government property appears to perpetuate and endorse that anti-Catholic bias.”
“Everyone should be made to feel welcome in Jefferson County, including the nonreligious,” said plaintiff Roberta Evans. “The Ten Commandments monument in front of the courthouse accomplishes the opposite, and turns the Commandments into a political statement that cheapens their value.”
Plaintiff Calvin McClintock added: “Jefferson County government officials used the people’s money, time, resources, and land to promote a particular religious message, at the exclusion of others. Government officials have no business endorsing any religion.”
Filed in Illinois’ 2nd Judicial Circuit as a Petition for Writ of Mandamus, the lawsuit comes after the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners voted to retain the monument on county property, ignoring warnings from the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the county’s own attorney that the display raised serious legal concerns.
“In Illinois, we do not permit local politicians to use the power and authority of their office to promote their religious views,” added Kevin Fee, legal director for the ACLU of Illinois. “Our organization has always worked to ensure that everyone’s religious freedom is respected. This monument – which must be removed immediately – attempts to undermine that freedom for many residents. We are pleased to represent these clients in seeking fairness in Jefferson County.”
Heather L. Weaver, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said: “The separation of church and state guarantees that we all have the right to decide, for ourselves, which religious beliefs, if any, people should follow. By sending the message that Jefferson County favors some faiths over others, the Ten Commandments monument intrudes on deeply personal matters. We’ll see Jefferson County in court.”
A copy of the petition filed today is available here.