The Widder Curry Weighs In
An interesting question appeared today on the Point Loma Democrats website in regards to an article announcing the 80 year celebration of the San Diego ACLU.
To say that I was nonplussed to read the question which can as a comment to the article, would be a minor revelation. At the risk of being censored – do you think that Democrats would do that to their own? – let me tell you something about it.
On June 7th, there will be a 80 year celebration of the San Diego ACLU. As the article read, this function is not a
“ . . . stodgy, cardboard chicken dinner they’re celebrating in style, with a no-program cocktail party at Vin de Syrah in the Gaslamp. Enjoy mingling and toasting fellow civil liberties and civil rights aficionados, meet new friends, and reconnect with long-lost colleagues.”
There was room for comments re: this fest and I could not believe what I read :
“ I find a request to support the ACLU by a Democratic Club offensive.”
“Yes, the organization does some good but until they stop trying to remove the Mount Soledad War Memorial Cross, I will consider them a subversive organization. Their actions show they have no respect for the service of our country’s military members, including those who died for our country.”
The ACLU a subversive organization? Because they want to remove the Mount Soledad War Memorial Cross? As I wrote in my response, “you gotta be kidding.” Subversive?
I never thought of myself as being subversive. I never thought of myself as being religious, either. But I am of the Jewish persuasion and I strongly object to my spouse – or any of my loved ones – being “honored” in the shadow of a Christian object. It points out to me that anti-Semitism still runs rampant in San Diego. My husband was in WWII; he fought along side Christians, Buddhists, agnostics, atheists etc. So why is only one religious symbol displayed?
I realize this has been a long pending discussion. But to call the ACLU subversive on this issue only makes my blood boil. Democrats – there are anti-Semites among us.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I served on active duty in the United States Army from 1962-1964. I served in the United States Naval Reserve from 1981-2001. Although I would have preferred to remain in the United States Naval Reserve, everyone, with the exception of chaplains, is required to accept a mandatory retirement at age 60. I retired at age 60 with a full United States Navy retirement.
A cross has always been a cross and never a war memorial. An example of a war memorial is the Iwo Jima War Memorial. The Iwo Jima War memorial is the depiction of four men raising the flag atop Mount Suribachi during World War II, Those men on Iwo Jima atop Mount Suribachi are not raising a cross! Those men on Iwo Jima atop Mount Suribachi are not raising a Star of David! They are raising a war memorial, the Unites States Stars and Stripes.
Because a cross is a Christian religious symbol, a cross has ONLY represented denominations of Christianity in the military. A cross has NEVER represented one particular religion in the military including atheists, agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, etc. Therefore a cross is simply a religious symbol.
Prior to 1989, the cross atop Mount Soledad was always referred to as the “Easter Cross.” Please source the Mount Soledad Cross on Wikipedia. This Easter Cross was dedicated in 1954 by the mother of Billy Kellogg, who has masked the area surrounding this religious marker, a Christian cross, with plaques commemorating the lives of those who served in the military.
Based on your remarks which follow:
“ I find a request to support the ACLU by a Democratic Club offensive.”
“Yes, the organization does some good but until they stop trying to remove the Mount Soledad War Memorial Cross, I will consider them a subversive organization. Their actions show they have no respect for the service of our country’s military members, including those who died for our country.”
Yes, you have been fooled by Billy Kellogg and his ilk.
I have made the determination that you have never served in any branch of the United States Armed Forces. I am uncertain whether you discriminate against other religions or are simply lacking a religious education.
There has never been an authentic entity by the name of the “Mount Soledad War Memorial Cross.” It is simply the name of an attempt to spin by Billy Kellogg and his contrived “Mount Soledad War Memorial Association.”
For reasons of separation of church and state, keeping a cross atop Mount Soledad has been declared unconstitutional. That “association” can add as many plaques as they wish and light that area at night, but eventually that religious symbol will be moved.
Yes the ACLU is a democratic organization. Please note the “d” in the word democratic is a lower case “d.” Contrary to your belief, The ACLU is not a “Democratic Club.”
Typo-
In my paragraph two (see above), there should be a period following “World War II”
Thank you, Pfaff, for setting the record straight. As I said in my article, I was shocked by the comment made by the responder.
My dad was a naval officer, and I want to remove the cross, BECAUSE it DISrespects him. He was an atheist and he served the United States, not a religious symbol. The person who wrote that letter clearly doesn’t get this, and is invited to move to a country with a state religion if he likes. There are lots of them in the Middle East.
Michael Caton
Michael,
Correct. If they cut off the arms of that religious symbol it would be a stile. That is the reason most everyone understands the monument atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, four men raising the American flag. Prior to 1989, that thing atop Mount Soledad was always referred to as the “Easter Cross.” It was dedicated in 1954 (see Mount Soledad Cross on Wikipedia) by the mother or grandmother of Billy Kellogg, the marketing genius and owner of the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, which was one of the leading anti-semitic entities in La Jolla. Billy Kellogg and his ilk believe that all-night lighting and plaques make a Christian cross a war memorial. It is embarrassing that some naive (I’m being polite) fools have swallowed his spin.
The plaintiffs were the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, not the ACLU. To impose a Christian Cross is disrespectful to the Jewish Veterans.