Oklahoma: Ten Commandments monument moves

by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

A company that built a granite Ten Commandments monument that was removed from the Oklahoma Capitol grounds under a court order said Tuesday it still hasn't been paid for its work.

According to the Associated Press, Wilbert Memorials sales manager Gary Mosier said the company fronted the costs of constructing the monument after someone drove a car into the original last year. Mosier said the second monument was built with the understanding the company would be reimbursed but that no payments have been made.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin sent out a press release today stating that she, state Representative Mike Ritze and the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) announced today the relocation of the Ten Commandments monument from the Oklahoma State Capitol to OCPA’s campus, located on private property ten blocks south of the capitol complex.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered the monument to be removed from the Capitol grounds in June, saying the Oklahoma Constitution prohibited the state from displaying it, ruling that it violated a constitutional prohibition on using state property to support a religion. The state appealed that decision but could not get the Supreme Court ruling overturned.

The second, unpaid, monument was removed late Monday night.

The AP report continues, "We have not received anything on the monument to this point, and I do not know how much of anything has been raised," Mosier wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

Republican state Rep. Mike Ritze of Broken Arrow and his family paid about $10,000 for the original granite sculpture. Ritze vowed to spearhead a fundraising effort for the second monument.

Ritze hasn't returned several telephone messages seeking comment.

"After all kinds of pseudo-legal arguments, the religious fanatics in Oklahoma have had to accept that their Ten Commandment idol had to be removed from its place of prominence on the State Capitol's grounds," said Joe Quigly, a former Oklahoma City school teacher. "It wasn't just on the grounds, but in the building's footprint. It was removed last night under cover of darkness."

Fallin is trying to "work with lawmakers" to bring a decision to a vote of the people allowing the monument to eventually return to the Capitol.

“Moving forward, I believe the people of Oklahoma should have the opportunity to vote on a proposed Constitutional change to ensure that historical monuments like this one are not pushed out of public spaces. I strongly encourage lawmakers to take up this issue in the next legislative session," said Fallin in her statement to the press.

Although the second monument remains unpaid for, Fallin also offered thanks to Rep. Ritze, who raised the private dollars to create the monument and then gifted it to the state...the first one, that is.

Michael Carnuccio, president of OCPA said his organization disagrees with the court’s ruling and that the monument can be legally and constitutionally displayed at the state capitol. He said the organization would continue to support Governor Fallin and other elected state leaders as they work to rectify the court’s decision.

"Religion and government are best served in their respective fields, like oil and water," said James Nimmo, an Oklahoma Athiest. "Funny, isn't it, that the monument was installed originally in broad daylight, the replacement was re-installed in broad daylight when it was smashed by a car, but to remove it requires the cover of darkness to hide the shame of those who flouted the law for a couple of years."

Nimmo continued, "Let's not forget to congratulate the ACLU of Oklahoma for bringing the lawsuit that removed this fistula from public property."

To amend the state constitution, the Legislature would need to pass a resolution through the House and Senate calling for a public vote. The proposed amendment could then be placed on the November ballot.

And Wilbert Memorials waits for payment.

___

Published - The Gayly, 10/6/2015 at 7:19 pm