Just to follow up on my post from yesterday on Roy Moore’s religious crusade in Alabama, I wanted to mention that everyone’s favorite theocrat held a press conference yesterday. I don’t think it went well.
Predictably, Moore condemned the 11 Circuit Court of Appeals for its unanimous ruling against his Ten Commandments monument, describing the court’s decision as “unconstitutional.”
But the part I continue to focus on is whether Moore will comply with a federal court order demanding the religious monument’s removal from the state judicial building.
This, of course, shouldn’t even be open to question. All Americans are bound to follow the law, whether we agree with it or not. When a federal court issues an order, none of us have the luxury of deciding whether to follow it or ignore it.
Moore, however, seems to believe otherwise. It’s a frightening concept, to say the least.
Specifically, Moore reiterated yesterday his longtime position about the federal government’s authority in his case.
“It has always been our position that the federal courts simply have no jurisdiction to tell the people of Alabama that it is improper to acknowledge God by the display of this monument depicting the moral foundation of law,” Moore said.
That’s not a good sign. Moore’s legal team will appeal to the Supreme Court, which will almost certainly decline from hearing his case. That, as they say, will be that. Moore will have no other legal options, and he’ll be bound by the 11th Circuit’s ruling.
I shudder to think what will happen if he simply refuses to follow the rule of law. At this point, I think it’s a distinct possibility.