ACLU investigating Bloomfield monument

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico filed a public records request with the city of Bloomfield on Wednesday, requesting any records alluding to the city's planned monument. They will be searching all relevant documents that date back to the city government's first discussions of the monument.

The documents likely will date back to 2007, when the city initially approved the monument. That same year, ACLU-NM spoke with the city attorney and advised the city against the monument.

They thought the discussion was over when no news of the monument ever

reached ACLU-NM.

But the group was surprised last week to hear the council renewed its interest in the monument by acknowledging its placement at a council meeting on June 13. The group received several emails about the monument shortly after.

"Honestly, we thought the issue had gone away," said ACLU-NM executive director Peter Simonson. "It's highly disappointing."

The group may not pursue litigation, but it likely will take action if the monument goes up, Simonson said.

It is the first ACLU-NM investigation of a Ten Commandments monument in the past 10 years, if not ever, Simonson said.

City manager David Fuqua and mayor Scott Eckstein did not return phone calls to comment on the investigation Wednesday.

The ACLU, known for intercepting issues of constitutional rights through litigation, seeks to determine whether the city of Bloomfield chose to erect the monument for a religious purpose. The monument may violate the United States Constitution's First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing or endorsing religious beliefs.

"The basic point is that when religion and government combine, both of them suffer," said Simonson. "Religious freedom thrives when the government stays out of religion and does not endorse one faith over another."

The matter would be a moot point were it not for the monument's placement on government property, Simonson said.

Federal courts have repeatedly affirmed the First Amendment's prohibition on the government promoting one religion over another, or even showing a preference between religion and non-religion.

Civil liberties union investigating monument « Artesia News

BLOOMFIELD, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union is investigating the city of Bloomfield for its handling of a Ten Commandments monument. The city announced earlier this month the monument was going up at no cost to taxpayers.

The state ACLU director says they will likely take court action if the monument goes up in violation of the United States Constitution’s First Amendment prohibiting the government from establishing or endorsing religious beliefs.

The Farmington Daily Times reports City manager David Fuqua and mayor Scott Eckstein did not return phone calls seeking comment.

___

Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.

Civil Liberties

Civil liberties, policy and policy making

Civil Liberties, A Beginner's Guide

American national security and civil liberties in an era of terrorism

Civil liberties and human rights