Roadside cross memorials unconstitutional?

[sha_lyn]

Exactly. Anyone saying they are a safety issue because they may distract drivers are simply coming up with excuses. They are no more distracting than buildings, landmarks, landscapes, billboards or anything else on the side of the road

I have to disagree with this.
If you read the article that is linked.... it is mentioned that people pull off the side of this busy road, and stand near the road to visit the monuments. An area Iwould guess that it is illegal to pull over unless it is an emergency.

 

[NYBlue1]

I have to disagree with this.
If you read the article that is linked.... it is mentioned that people pull off the side of this busy road, and stand near the road to visit the monuments. An area Iwould guess that it is illegal to pull over unless it is an emergency.

If thats the case than a no stopping in this area sign should cover it. Im sure the officers friends and family would honor this knowing they could cause an accident. It really does not look set up for people to be stopping and visiting the marker. Which is what it appears to be from the pics a marker not really a reflecting memorial.

 

[DisneyMomOK]

Its rediculous to me that people actually have time in their day to worry about these things never mind complain about them. Who cares, they are not hurting anybody they are not there to offend why even give this a second thought. my opinion they need to get a hobby and a life.

My thoughts, exactly! How about a book club, or something...

Sharon

 

[talulabelle]

There is nobody who dislikes these roadside memorials more than I, but I don't find them offensive. I just find them annoying.

However, if it makes the loved ones of someone who died feel better, then I can deal with it. It's just something I pass by, not a big deal.

I don't care for roadside memorials either normally. I find it odd to memorialize the place where someone died tragically rather than a place where they lived happily or where their body is laid to rest. I personlly would want to forget the place of their death and the horror surrounding it. (Although I do not begrudge people if it brings them some peace or happiness). It is a little disracting, trying to read whatever is on them etc. There is one particularly dangerous stretch of road near us that has so many memorials and crosses along it (one on a stone cliff, couple next to telephone poles, several nailed to trees) and a friend of mine remarked it is like passing roadkill. All of these sad tributes all along the road, memorializing the place where the person spent the worst minutes or seconds of their lives.. It also clutters up the beauty of the country side. I don't think a road way is the place to remember a loved one. It also always makes me wonder about how some feels when it is on their property. Terrible position to be place in. You wouldn't want to be disrespectful to the family, however, I wouldn't want something like that permanently on my property.

However, with all of that said, the memorials being discussed for the troopers is different and it doesn't bother me at all. They are not strewn along at each place where a tragidy occured. They are not meant to marks the places of persons deaths. They are memorials. We have memorials in our town for police officers and such. As far as distractions, well its the same for billboards then isn't it? The brewha over this seems to be that they are in the shapes of crosses. I don't understand why someone would want to or feel the need to wipe a cross off anything public. I live in a very Jewish neighborhood, and I never think twice about all the Stars of David everywhere. I can understand someone being upset if one of the officers wasn't Christian, and they had put of a cross for him. But that is not the case. What a waste of time. Imagine if all theat effort was being put into something worthwhile.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

These are police officers that died on the roads they are keeping safe for you and I . A bit diffrent than a loved one passing in a hospital room. I dont see how these crosses that are set off the road are causing people distraction to the point they are driving off the roads or running into each other. I dont believe they are ment to be visited as a mourning area either. Just a tribute to the officer that died on the road protecting its travelers

To play devil's advocate, I don't see any difference between a police officer driving off of a rain soaked road into a tree and a teenager doing the same thing. Should the police officer be permitted the tribute but not the teenager? Should anyone who wants to be able to put up a tribute anywhere they want?

I think not.

 

[NYBlue1]

To play devil's advocate, I don't see any difference between a police officer driving off of a rain soaked road into a tree and a teenager doing the same thing. Should the police officer be permitted the tribute but not the teenager? Should anyone who wants to be able to put up a tribute anywhere they want?

I think not.

If you dont see the diffrence than nothing Im going to say will make you understand the diffrence.

 

[Charade]

To play devil's advocate, I don't see any difference between a police officer driving off of a rain soaked road into a tree and a teenager doing the same thing. Should the police officer be permitted the tribute but not the teenager? Should anyone who wants to be able to put up a tribute anywhere they want?

I think not.

That officer just might have been persuing that teenager who just held up a convenience store and beat the cashier with a baseball bat.

Yeah, no difference.

 

[Chuck S]

I still think it makes more sense from a safety standpoint for the state to fund a small memorial garden type thing next to a rest area, with a tasteful monument, or a small monument for each officer.

It would serve the purpose of a memorial, and could safely be visited by relatives, if they so desire. There is also no way that it could, even by a stretch, be considered a distraction to drivers AND it would also alleviate any concerns about official state logos appearing on privately funded religious symbolism.

 

[ChillyWilleys]

How are people offended by things that they don't believe in? Sounds more like bitter than lack of belief to me. I wish I had nothing better to worry about too. Why would anyone oppose something that another finds comfort in. I don't see how it causes any harm. I have no problem at all with other religous symbols. I do have a problem with swastikas because they are a sign of intolerance, pain, and a reminder of torture and genocide. And I'm sure it would be these same people arguing those be allowed to remain up due to there constitutional freedom of speech.

 

[Chicago526]

As long as the memorials are not funded by the state, I don't have a problem with it. I do think a better memorial could be thought of other than roadside crosses (it's not the crosses, it's that it's roadside and difficult and dangerous for people to stop and pay their repsects) but if that's what those that funded it wanted, hey, it's their money.

As for Arlington, it would only be an issue if the families were forced to have a cross on the marker, even if the fallen service member was jewish/muslim/pagan/athiest/whatever. THEN that would be state sponsered religion. Since the family members can pick the symbol that's appropriate (and I assume for athiests they can ommit it altogether) it's perfectly fine.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

If you dont see the diffrence than nothing Im going to say will make you understand the diffrence.

So, then, you are saying that one life is worth memorializing and one is not simply because one died a noble death (sliding off the road in a cop car) and one died a senseless death (sliding off the road in a POV)? Sorry, but while I respect LEOs, I don't believe that they deserve to be canonized for doing what they are paid to do.

 

[sha_lyn]

As for Arlington, it would only be an issue if the families were forced to have a cross on the marker, even if the fallen service member was jewish/muslim/pagan/athiest/whatever. THEN that would be state sponsered religion. Since the family members can pick the symbol that's appropriate (and I assume for athiests they can ommit it altogether) it's perfectly fine.

There is a symbol for atheist
here is alist of symbols
http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp

 

[sha_lyn]

So, then, you are saying that one life is worth memorializing and one is not simply because one died a noble death (sliding off the road in a cop car) and one died a senseless death (sliding off the road in a POV)? Sorry, but while I respect LEOs, I don't believe that they deserve to be canonized for doing what they are paid to do.

They are paid to die?

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

There is a symbol for atheist
here is alist of symbols
http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp

I'm assuming the atheists who are against state funded crosses would be against state funded atheist emblems as well.

 

[NYBlue1]

So, then, you are saying that one life is worth memorializing and one is not simply because one died a noble death (sliding off the road in a cop car) and one died a senseless death (sliding off the road in a POV)? Sorry, but while I respect LEOs, I don't believe that they deserve to be canonized for doing what they are paid to do.

Pretty much what I expected you to say

 

[Chicago526]

There is a symbol for atheist
here is alist of symbols
http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp

Cool! Didn't know they had so many crosses to choose from either, I figured all they offered was your standard cross.

 

[NYBlue1]

They are paid to die?

Thank you sha lyn

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

They are paid to die?

They are driving in the course of their job, and yes, they are being paid to do that.

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

<<If a national atheist organization has its way, a series of 12-foot-tall memorial crosses that adorn Utah's highways will be taken down.

But not if the families of the people those crosses honor — state Highway Patrol troopers killed in the line of duty — have anything to say about it.

American Atheists Inc. has filed a federal lawsuit, arguing that the 13 white, steel crosses represent the death of Jesus Christ and therefore violate the First Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits government establishment of religion....>>

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311956,00.html

How do these fools think this is the "government establishment of religion"?

 

[JennyMominRI]

I say let them have their memorials... The only way I would have an issue is if one of them was a Non-Christian. Don't we have bigger things to worry about?