Judge says Lehigh County can keep cross on seal
Lehigh County can continue to observe its culture and heritage with its 70-year-old seal, which includes a Latin cross, a three-judge federal appeals court ruled today (Thursday) in Philadelphia.
The 3-0 ruling overturned a lower court decision that had upheld a challenge in 2016 from a Wisconsin-based atheist group, Freedom from Religion Foundation that brought suit on behalf of four Lehigh County residents who insisted that the cross violated the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause in the First Amendment.
The appeals court had put off the decision until the U.S. Supreme Court had acted on the Bladensburg Cross case in Maryland, which it did in June. The high court ruled that the 40-foot-high Maryland cross on a busy state highway was part of a World War I memorial, not a religious statement.
Lehigh County’s seal, which has been used for seven decades without complaints, features the cross representing early German settlers who fled persecution in their homeland seeking religious freedom in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas of Pennsylvania.
The seal also contains more than a dozen other images, including the Liberty Bell, a red heart, grain silos and textiles, all symbolic of the county’s history.
``It is common sense that religion played a role in the lives of our nation’s early settlers. Recognizing that is just as constitutional as honoring symbols like the Liberty Bell,” said Diana Verm, senior counsel at Becket Law, a Washington, D.C., firm which represented the county. ``It is only right that Lehigh County can continue honoring its history and culture,’’ she added.
Comments
I don’t doubt that the seal having a cross is constitutional but the county should recognize that keeping it is divisive and not consistent with unity.
How many verified Muslims fought for us in the Revolution? Don't cite Wiki either. Come on Joe, insignificant few did certainly join our fight, that I'll not deny, but really?
But you are again off topic, spinning things to where we need not go.
History, do you remember... History. Lehigh County Flag. Court decision... Focus Joe, Focus!
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/collection/african-muslims-early-america
Its not off topic, you made the comment about Islam, I'm just responding.
Joe reminded me of a significant Muslim based event from way back in the history books. The First Barbary War, as memorialized by that line in the Marine’s Hymn. Sorry about that Joe. Thanks for mentioning my boys in an honorable way sir. One Army Airborne, and two Marines. One Marine with Purple Heart. Good men, as are you Rambo.
I simply suggested they had little to do with the history of Lehigh County.
They are not at all significant in the history of Lehigh County, but hey, you just like to brawl with people. It's constant with you.