Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has chimed in to publicly oppose FFRF’s objection to the state’s acceptance of a wooden sculpture with a cross as a memorial to vets in a state park.
Pence issued a statement in support of the sculpture being placed at Whitewater Memorial State Park in early September: “So long as I am governor, I will defend the right of Hoosiers to display this sculpture in Whitewater Memorial State Park as a lasting tribute to the service and sacrifice of all who have worn the uniform of the United States.” He added, “The freedom of religion does not require freedom from religion.”
FFRF first wrote to the Department of Natural Resources on Aug. 20 to urge rejection of the proposed statue, an 8-foot-tall, chainsaw-carved veterans memorial that depicts a bald eagle and includes a prominent white cross.
DNR Director Cameron Clark wrote to the Union County Development Corp., which arranged for the statue, on Sept. 2, stating that he was “pleased to accept [their] gift on behalf of the citizens of Indiana and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.” Clark ordered the sculpture to be placed next to the park’s administrative office, in part to provide “proper visibility.” According to a story in the Richmond Palladium-Item, the park was created in 1949 to be a memorial to veterans in surrounding counties.
FFRF noted in its letter that the memorial did not in fact honor all veterans. “[T]he Christian-only memorial will send a message that the government only cares about the deaths of Christian soldiers, not Jewish, other non-Christian and nonreligious soldiers,” Senior Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert wrote.
“The religious significance of the Latin cross is unambiguous and indisputable,” Markert wrote, adding that “an overwhelming majority of federal courts agree that the Latin cross universally represents the Christian religion, and only the Christian religion.”
She cited a string of court decisions that bolster FFRF’s position, including a ruling that the cross “is not a generic symbol of death.”
Markert continued, “Although the cross serves as a tombstone, a religious symbol is not necessary to mark a grave, and . . . the use of a religious symbol where one is not necessary evidences a religious purpose.”
“The freedom of religion does require freedom from religion,” said FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, “because the freedom of religion means nothing without the freedom to dissent. And Governor Pence should be free from religion when acting in his role as a public servant.”
Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor added, “FFRF has no objection to veterans memorials, but they cannot be used as a subterfuge to put Latin crosses on government land. Whitewater Memorial State Park should not host a monument that appears to say ‘We only care about your service if you’re a Christian.’ There are many atheists in foxholes, and 24 percent of FFRF membership is made up of veterans or active military.”
About 25% of all military personnel identify as atheist or agnostic or hold no religious preference.
FFRF is considering legal action.
