Illuminated crosses on the courthouse send the message of 'Christian' courts, religion-based justice and a system of law and order that’s intertwined with the faith of the majority. That’s inappropriate.

A cross can’t represent all veterans. Crosses are fine for private memorials, but when a sectarian symbol like the Bladensburg Cross is erected and maintained by the government, it sends the message that Christianity has some sort of special relationship with the state. It also excludes veterans who aren’t Christian.

The Alabama ballot proposal would alter the state constitution to say it’s permissible to display the Ten Commandments in those cases where courts have already said it’s OK. If you look a little deeper, you'll see its real purpose: to promote government display of a religious document.