There has been much commentary on last week's oral arguments before the Supreme Court in Salazar v. Buono-- the case involving the Sunrise Rock Cross located in the Mojave Preserve war memorial . (See prior posting.) In paticular pundits have focused on Justice Scalia's questioning. (St. Louis Post Dispatch.) Stephen Colbert's satirical take on the arguments is among the more interesting reactions to Scalia. Thanks to Don Byrd for pointing out this video clip:
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| The Word - Symbol-Minded | ||||
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Colbert's review of the exchange between Peter Eliasberg (ACLU) and Justice Scalia was right on. I was part of the "Laughter" recorded in the transcript of oral arguments.
Yet it was sad too. Justice Scalia made a mockery of himself in asserting that the Christian cross is THE universal symbol of death and remembrance. He should recuse himself because of bias.
Apparently Justice Scalia didn't read section III. B. of my amicus in Salazar v. Buono in which I forewarned the Court of the meaning of the Christian cross: "The cross expresses with clarity and simplicity the Christian message that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the source of human salvation."
Or, as Justice Souter wrote in a concurring opinion in Capitol Square v. Pinette (1995): "The Latin cross is the 'principal symbol of Christianity.'"
It will be interesting to see how Justice Scalia recovers from his meltdown in any opinion he may write in Buono.
Mr. Ritter,
I, too, found his lack of awareness of others in the world to be simply breathtaking. Based on your closing sentence may I ask if it looked to you like he had any sense of what he had just done/said?
Jim51
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