“…devote your time, energy, passion, and money to making sure that everyone has decent shelter, food, education, and medical care. That will be the true monument to Christianity.” – Joel A. Harrison

By Joel A. Harrison

January 8, 2014 (San Diego) -- In a 20-year saga that never ends, on December 12 U.S. District Judge Larry Burns ruled that the cross atop Mount Soledad was unconstitutional. Burns ordered the cross removed within 90 days; but then stayed that order until all appeals have been exhausted. And on December 19 an article in the San Diego U-TA reported an appeal is underway.

A similar controversy in East County several years ago was resolved when a cross atop Mt. Helix was transferred from public ownership to a private group of area homeowners. (Privatization is not an appropriate option for Soledad, since the site is a U.S. military memorial.) Instead of rehashing the Constitutional pros and cons, I would like to reflect a moment on my view of the meaning of Christianity—and the most appropriate monuments to faith and humanity.

By Jeremy Los

May 11, 2011 – The battle over the Mt. Soledad cross is being revamped recently as Congressman Duncan D. Hunter (R-San Diego) looks to protect the 41-foot cross atop the La Jolla landmark under his proposed War Memorial Protection Act.  Language from the Act has now been included as a provision under the National Defense Authorization Act.  Hunter's measure would allow for the preservation of war memorials that display religious symbols.

The full bill is expected to be heard tomorrow by the House Armed Services Committee during mark-up.