Man wants Commandments Commandments displayed in Elkhart County offices

GOSHEN, Ind. -- A man who opposed the removal of a Ten Commandments monument from in front of Elkhart City Hall wants the county to display a collection of flags and historical documents -- including the commandments -- in the government office building.\n"We've felt from the beginning the Ten Commandments is the historical heritage of America, and some people are out there to dilute or deny that fact," Bob Weaver told The Truth newspaper. "It's important to keep it in this collection for future generations, so they have a clear picture of how we became who we are."\nWeaver, who is from Shipshewana, has promised Elkhart County commissioners that no taxpayer money would be needed if the display is challenged in court.\nWeaver raised more than $60,000 last year in a last-ditch effort to keep the monument in front of City Hall. The money was later refunded to donors since no further legal challenge was made.\nElkhart officials had the monument removed in August following years of legal battles that cost the city more than $63,000. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled the monument was not constitutional.\nCourts have generally ruled that placement of such monuments on public property violates separation of church and state guaranteed in the First Amendment.\nCommissioner Phil Neff said the board supports Weaver's effort, "but I don't want to do anything to cause the county a problem or cost us any money."\nAs attorneys have mulled the legal implications for the past month, commissioner Martin McCloskey has kept the items in his office.\nBesides the Ten Commandments, other postings would include the state Constitution preamble, the words to the national anthem and the Bill of Rights.\nNeff said he will only vote for the display if the county attorney says it is constitutional.\nCounty attorney Gordon Lord said the documents would need to be represented as a historical collection, "put up in full conformity with the law, respectful of court decisions and interpretations of the Constitution."\nWeaver said he thinks the display is constitutional.\n"I believe what we've offered to the county satisfies the court rulings … and would pass muster again if it came to that," Weaver said.\nCounty commissioners could vote on the display March 17.