Oklahoma Supreme Court rules that Ten Commandments monument must be removed from Capitol
Court says it benefits Christian and Jewish faiths in violation of the state’s constitution
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Thou shalt not display the Ten Commandments at the Oklahoma State Capitol.
So said the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday, ruling that the monument must be removed from the Capitol grounds because it benefits members of the Christian and Jewish faiths above others, violating the state’s constitution.
The monument has seen its share of controversy since it was erected in 2012 using private money, according to KOCO. Others have asked to have their own statue on government grounds, including a Hindu leader, animal rights advocates, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and a group trying to build a Satan statue.
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has spoken out against the high court’s ruling, saying it is no different than a Texas monument that the US Supreme Court ruled was constitutional.
Mr Pruitt and Governor Mary Fallin are looking into the state’s legal options and reportedly will consider an appeal of the decision.
“Quite simply, the Oklahoma Supreme Court got it wrong,” the attorney general said in a statement.”The court completely ignored the profound historical impact of the Ten Commandments on the foundation of Western law.”
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