News Release - West Chester, Pennsylvania

The Ten Commandments reappeared briefly
on the steps of the Chester County Courthouse Monday afternoon
as members of the Constitution Party of Pennsylvania
became the latest to pledge their support
for Chester County's effort to keep
the Ten Commandments plaque on the Courthouse wall.

In April, the county covered the plaque
to comply with court orders
of U.S. District Judge Stewart Dalzell
requiring that the plaque be covered during litigation to remove it.

Judge Dalzell had ruled in March that the bronze plaque
of the Ten Commandments installed at the entrance to the county's courthouse in 1920
was unconstitutional and must be removed.

(see covered plaque on wall behind Rhine)
Jeff Rhine, chairman of the Constitution Party of Pennsylvania,
gives opening remarks at a press conference
in front of the Ten Commandments plaque
at the Chester County Courthouse
in West Chester, Pennsylvania on June 3, 2002

The 10 Commandments plaque in the Chester County courthouse should stay.
Its display is wholly constitutional and right.

For evidence we can look to the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which states,
in the relevant parts:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech ..."

Further, basic logic tells me that this 80 year old action by county officials,
to display a plaque, does not constitute an act of Congress,
establish a religion, or violate a single God given right.

As the father of a 10 month old daughter, I take such simple truths seriously.

I’ve asked myself,
"what legacy am I going to leave for this precious little girl?";
(in fact, what legacy are we going to leave for all of our children?).

Someday, my daughter will grow up.
On that day, she is going to have some questions for me

She’ll ask, "Daddy"
-- long having convinced herself that America is only great if America is good --
"where did you stand when America was being attacked from within?"

Today, then, I have a choice -- cower and hide or stand and fight.
I choose to stand and fight, because
-- while the light of truth,
with the power of Him from whom it emanates,
already shines through the wretched rag deployed to conceal it
and cannot be kept in the dark --
it remains our duty to oppose those,
and the object and implements of those,
who would wield a federal decision to prohibit the counties
of this Commonwealth from freely exhibiting
a statement of our Judeo-Christian founded legal heritage.

The ACLU lawyers and any career politicians
who aid and encourage them in their efforts in Chester County
should be ashamed of themselves.

The Ten Commandments give our legal system its integrity.
They represent the very foundation of western civilization upon which our Founders built.
And, one need look no further than the 6th commandment ("You shall not murder.")
and the 8th commandment ("You shall not steal.")
to see the parallels to a great founding document
-- our Declaration of Independence --
which reads, in part: "men [meaning mankind] ...
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

These strong, clear, "worth fighting for"
-- Judeo-Christian and American --
principles are often restated as Life, Liberty, and Property.

I support Chester County in her struggle to preserve, protect, and defend them.
(Jeff Rhine, Chairman, Constitution Party of Pennsylvania; Chester County courthouse press conference, June 3, 2002)

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