When you don't follow orders, you get fired.
This is the reason an Alabama chief justice was removed fromoffice Thursday.
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore refused to follow a federaljudge's order to move a Ten Commandments monument from the statejudicial building, according to CNN.
Whether or not the monument belongs at a court building in thefirst place is an entirely different debate. The key issue here isthat a state justice did not follow the ruling of a federaljustice.
Moore claimed he would violate his oath if he removed the stone,arguing the Ten Commandments are the foundation for American law.Moore said the federal courts could not block him fromacknowledging God.
As a state Supreme Court justice, Moore is required to upholdthe ruling of a federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court rejectedMoore's appeal Nov. 3 after a federal court had suspended Moorebecause he refused to remove the stone.
Moore also argued that the judge's order for the monument'sremoval violated Alabama's state sovereignty and the TenthAmendment to the U.S. Constitution, CNN reported.
The amendment states that any powers not delegated to the U.S.in the Constitution and not prohibited to the states are reservedto the states or the people.
Some could argue that the stone's presence is in violation ofthe First Amendment because the amendment states that Congresscannot make a law that establishes a religion or inhibits the freeexercise of religion.
Regardless, Moore is acting like a child who did not get hisway. His duty was to uphold the law. The U.S. Supreme Court is theprime authority on American law. Its ruling is final, and thereforeMoore has to remove the monument.
As a state justice, Moore should be aware of this. His ruling issupreme in appeals to his court. He should know the states areprivy to a higher court.
He refused to acknowledge that court's decision, and now he iswithout a job.
If U.S. Supreme Court decisions were called suggestions, Moorewould be free to do as he wished, but the court is only consultedfor final opinions. That is why they are called rulings.
Moore's supporters argue that the Ten Commandments are thefoundation of American law. That might be so in their eyes, but theU.S. Supreme Court can only gather information from the U.S.Constitution and former rulings.
The fact that Moore and his supporters are standing for theirconvictions is admirable. Standing up for personal beliefs,especially ones with a religious base, is a challenging effort.They must really stand by what they believe in, and Americansshould applaud that.
The same Constitution that has given Moore the right to voicehis opinion is also the same one he swore to uphold. Part ofupholding that Constitution is following the direction of the U.S.Supreme Court.
Now that Moore has been removed from office, he is free toadvocate whatever he believes.
Write to Lauren at lmphillips@bsu.edu
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