This morning I have authorized the filing of briefs to the U.S. District Court on behalf of the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico.  As you will recall, several weeks ago members of Americans United for Separation of  Church and State (AU) filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Las Cruces city seal.  That seal depicts three crosses as part of its presentation.  When translated into English, “Las Cruces” actually means “the crosses.”  AU and its allies have made the determination to remove this reference to the religious heritage of New Mexico. 

Below is the content of a letter that I am forwarding to Governor Bill Richardson.  We are encouraging tens of thousands of our members to sign on to this letter so that when we deliver it to Governor Richardson, it will have the greatest impact possible.  Please click here to add your name to this effort.

The Honorable Bill Richardson

Office of the Governor

490 Old Santa Fe Trail

Room 400

Santa Fe, NM 87501

Re:  Las Cruces, New Mexico, City Seal Law Suit

Dear Governor Richardson,

By way of introduction, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is a public interest law firm that has significant experience in the area of religion cases at the Supreme Court of the United States.  The undersigned has presented twelve arguments before the Supreme Court on numerous cases involving both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses.  The ACLJ has had eighteen cases at the high court on a broad range of issues. 

Over the last several weeks, a number of our members around the country have contacted us concerning litigation involving the city seal of Las Cruces, New Mexico.  We appreciate the stands that you have taken publicly in not allowing the Department of Motor Vehicles to remove the city seal’s symbol from the highways near and around Las Cruces, New Mexico. 

We are filing a brief with the U.S. District Court supporting the city of Las Cruces.  Recently, in the Pledge of Allegiance case, Justice O’Connor pointed out the significance of the religious heritage of America.  She noted that:

“It is unsurprising that a nation founded by religious refugees and dedicated to religious freedom should find references to divinity in its symbols, songs, mottoes and oaths.  Eradicating such references would sever ties to a history that sustains this Nation even today.”

Justice O’Connor also went on to note that

            “Certain ceremonial references to God and religion in our Nation are the inevitable consequence of the religious history that gave birth to our founding principles of liberty.  It would be ironic indeed if this Court were to wield our constitutional commitment to religious freedom so as to sever our ties to the traditions developed to honor it.”

While this litigation moves forward, I wanted to let you know that our members are behind the city of Las Cruces and that we, again, appreciate your efforts to support this symbolic reference to the religious heritage of the city. 

If we can be of any further assistance, please feel free to call upon us.

Sincerely,

Jay Alan Sekulow

Chief Counsel

JAS:cjt