How to make an enemy? To start, try having twelve-foot tall metal crosses erected on public land to honor fallen peace officers removed from highways in Utah. Add a little insensitivity towards the families of these same fallen heroes, and then incorporate a negative media campaign timed to coincide with the holidays, and Atheists can be assured of a ride out of town on a rail the next time they visit Utah.(Photo: The Salt Lake Tribune / Ryan Galbraith)Of course, American Atheists, Inc. have a point. What government body in America could honestly think that erecting twelve-foot high crosses on public land would be a good idea? I’m willing to bet that Utah’s legal advisors were not involved in this decision. I think the crosses are inappropriate – but what they were intended to do was fantastic. We should honor our fallen heroes, but do so in secular manner, like many monuments and memorials found throughout America.
In California, it is common a freeway overpass or highway rest stop dedicated to a fallen peace officer. These types of memorials are appropriate given our multitude of religious beliefs and secular form of government.
Another point of contention I have is that State governments are going out of their way to clear unofficial roadside monuments known descansos. Why the State would clear these little personal mementos of tragic loss while at the same time erecting large State endorsed crosses is a mystery to me. It seems likely that the State endorsed crosses will eventually come down – I hope the Utards (what do you call somebody from Utah?) forgive us.
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