Back in 2015, the Ten Commandments Monument was removed from the Oklahoma State Capitol after the courts ruled it violated a section of the Oklahoma constitution that prohibits public money from being spent for religious purposes.
The next year, Oklahoma lawmakers put a state question on the ballot that would have removed that pesky section from the constitution, clearing the way for the monument to be rebuilt at the capitol. Even though Oklahoma is a devout theocracy located in the heart of the heartland, the proposal failed by a 15% margin.
Knowing that, I guess we shouldn't be surprised that the Oklahoma House overwhelmingly sent a bill to the Senate last week that would allow the Ten Commandments and other "historical documents" to be displayed on public property. Our lawmakers truly love nothing more than defying the constitution and will of the people.
Via The Tulsa World:
A bill that would allow for the display of the Ten Commandments along with historical documents on public property passed the state Senate on Thursday.
House Bill 2177 by Rep. John Bennett, R-Sallisaw, and Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, passed by a 39-3 vote and heads to the House for consideration.
“Every county, municipality, city, town, school or any other political subdivision is authorized to display, in its public buildings and on its grounds, replicas of historical documents including, but not limited to, the Ten Commandments, Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, Oklahoma Constitution and other historically significant documents in the form of statues, monuments, memorials, tablets or any other display that respects the dignity and solemnity of such documents,” according to the measure...
Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, said the measure would not force cities, counties or other entities to display the monuments, but would allow for it.
He said the Ten Commandments would have to be displayed “with other historical documents.”
Jesus H. Christ. Isn't there something we can do as voters and taxpayers to stop our idiot lawmakers from introducing legislation like this? Can we make lawmakers, or at least Hobby Lobby, pick up the tab associated with defending this unconstitutional legislation on the courts?
Oddly enough, one Oklahoma lawmaker had that same idea:
Senate Minority Leader John Sparks, D-Norman, attempted to amend the bill.
Sparks’ amendment said that if the attorney general had to defend a lawsuit over legislation and lost, the money for the legal costs would be taken from road funds in the district of the authors of the unconstitutional measure and be given to the attorney general...
His amendment failed by a vote of 7 to 33.
Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, presented the bill. He said he believed the measure would be found constitutional because it requires that the Ten Commandments be displayed with other historical documents.
You know, just because you say the Ten Commandments is a historical document doesn't mean it really is one. Moses should have used carbon copy stones when he took that acid trip up on the mountain, because until they find the Ark of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments is as much of a historical document as the Easter Bunny is a historical figure.
