Subject: Protesters rally against courts

Protesters rally against courts
Morality in American law at issue
By Bill Cotterell
DEMOCRAT POLITICAL EDITOR

Declaring that "enough is enough," a small but enthusiastic group of
demonstrators called for Congress to stop federal judges from undercutting
what they consider the moral roots of American law.

Speakers at the rally on the steps of the Old Capitol mentioned court
rulings on homosexual marriage and sodomy, legal challenges to the term
"under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and the 1962 U.S. Supreme Court
ruling that removed prayer from public schools. They said such
interpretations of the Constitution's requirement of church-state separation
have greased the skids for a 50-year decline in moral standards, with an
accompanying rise in disease, abortion, family disintegration and other
social ills.

But the focal point of the rally was the removal of Alabama Chief Justice
Roy Moore for his defiance of a federal court order that forced removal of a
monument featuring the Ten Commandments from the state judicial building.
Many of the 80 demonstrators carried picket signs denouncing "activist"
judges as they invited passers-by to sign a "national religious freedom
preservation petition" to Congress.

"We demand that Congress pass legislation that will prohibit the federal
courts from taking cases that would in any way regulate, restrict or
prohibit religious speech or activity in the states," said the petition,
sponsored by the St. Louis-based National Coalition to Restore the
Constitution.

Chuck Baldwin of Pensacola, who hosts a Christian talk-radio show, drew
applause from the crowd when he said the Ten Commandments ruling in Alabama
was part of an effort by federal judges to end all public recognition of
religion or moral principles. "This has always been about the public
recognition of God," said Baldwin, who attended the judicial proceedings
that removed Moore. "This issue will determine whether or not Americans have
the right to publicly acknowledge God."

Baldwin, who has a doctorate in divinity, said voters should "make it a
litmus test" for all candidates to pledge support for the petitions
circulated at the rally. He said similar rallies were being held in 40
states.

"My friends, it is time for Congress to discipline and contain an
out-of-control federal judiciary," he said. "It is time for 50 years of
judicial tyranny to cease."

The Rev. Ken Babington, pastor of First Baptist Church of Cocoa Beach, told
the gathering that eliminating other references to God may be next.

He said the inscription, "In God We Trust," on coins could be stricken by
the same legal reasoning that removed the Ten Commandments from public
display in Montgomery - and opening prayers at sessions of Congress or state
legislatures could be prohibited, bailiffs could be stopped from proclaiming
"God save this honorable court" when courts convene.

Babington said the nation's founders intended the First Amendment to protect
churches from interference by government. He quoted Thomas Jefferson and
other framers of the Constitution as saying that the nation needed divine
guidance and that religious principles should be part of the law.

"I guess you know that it's unconstitutional to stop homosexuals from
getting married in some parts of the country," Babington said. "And it's
unconstitutional to stop a young girl from getting an abortion without her
parents' consent. It's also unconstitutional to bring a Bible to school,
pray in school and things like that."

He said that 50 years ago, popular television programs were like "I Love
Lucy" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show," featuring married couples with twin
beds. Today, he said, network fare is dominated by "absolutely immoral"
programming such as NBC's "Friends."

"Can you imagine what it's going to be like 50 years from now?" he asked.
"Marriage will be a thing of the past. Immorality and nudity will be
commonplace in the public arena, vulgarity on radio and television -
somebody has to stand up and say enough is enough."  ¶ 3:09 PM