WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
A recent controversy has taken over the town of Starke, Fla., regarding a monument of the Ten Commandments outside the Bradford County Courthouse. So far more than 100 people have protested in the ongoing debate over the religious marker on county property. One organization that is against the marker is called American Atheists. State and regional operator for American Atheists, Ken Loukinen says his organization is offended by the placement of the monument, not the monument itself.
[audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/Loukinen1fixTenComand.mp3]Vice president of legal affairs with Liberty Council, Steve Crampton says this monument should be be moved because of its historical importance.
[audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/Crampton2.mp3]Loukinen says the references to Christianity are unfair to nonbelivers, and says people should not worry about being treated unfairly while in court.
[audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/Loukinen3.mp3]Louskinen also adds the American Atheists would rather just have the monument moved somewhere else away from the courthouse.
[audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/Loukinen4.mp3]This is not first time this issue has come up in Florida. There was an earlier case in Dixie County last year when a federal judge ordered the county to remove a Ten Commandments marker after the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit. Crampton says these kinds of cases are becoming less uncommon.
[audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/Crampton3.mp3]So far there have been no suits filed and Louikinen says his organization would rather not resort to that, but will if need be.
[audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/Loukinen6.mp3]This subject will be discussed in the next board meeting on June 4th.
