Liberty Institute, State of Oklahoma Take on the ACLU in Ten Commandments Battle

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

Liberty Institute has been retained by the State of Oklahoma to help in a heated battle against the ACLU. Liberty’s winning track record and extensive experience defending displays and memorials with religious imagery made it a clear choice to assist the state’s attorney general.

In August, the ACLU of Oklahoma filed a lawsuit seeking to have a Ten Commandments monument removed from the Oklahoma state capitol grounds – less than one year after it was erected.

History of the Monument
Oklahoma Rep. Mike Ritze proposed legislation for the privately funded monument in 2009.  The proposal received bi-partisan support from both the state House of Representatives and the Senate, with former Democratic Gov. Brad Henry signing the bill into law.  The law specifically authorizes Liberty Institute to “prepare and present a legal defense of the monument.”

The legislation establishing the monument recognizes:

1. “That the Ten Commandments are an important component of the foundation of the laws and legal system of the United States of America and of the State of Oklahoma;
2. That the courts of the United States of America and of various states frequently cite the Ten Commandments in published decisions; and
3. Acknowledgements of the role played by the Ten Commandments in our nation’s heritage are common throughout America.”

Ritze and his family paid approximately $10,000 to have the 6-foot-tall monument built and installed.   The monument is modeled after the Ten Commandments Monument displayed outside the Texas state capitol.  In 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court held that identical Ten Commandments monument constitutional in Van Orden v. Perry, a case in which Liberty assisted the Texas Attorney General in defending.

The Experts in Religious Liberty
Liberty Institute has a long history of defending monuments, displays and memorials containing religious imagery – and we’re winning. We successfully restored the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial Cross, and our currently fighting to save the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross from being torn down.

During the holiday season, we have helped numerous cities and towns across the country defend their right to display Christmas scenes with religious imagery, and we are currently assisting several cities and counties in defending public expression and displays of religion.

Groups like the ACLU and Freedom From Religion Foundation are committed to removing any trace of religious from public view, and they are aggressive and relentless in their attacks. But, Liberty Institute is not intimidated. 

Not only do we have a in-house team of experienced, full-time constitutional attorneys, but we also work with many top litigators from the best firms in the country who volunteer their time to help advance the mission of defending our nation’s first freedom. We understand how important it is to work with respected local attorneys who have an intimate knowledge of their communities, and who can rally support for the cause of advancing religious freedom.

But, we can’t do this alone. We need your continued prayer and generous financial support to continue the important work of restoring religious freedom and preserving it for generations to come. Please, consider a gift today to help us fight back against the ACLU and maintain our winning track record of protecting our First Freedom.

About Liberty Institute
Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty’s vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation’s Founders. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.