Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has denied the petition of the Utah Highway Patrol Association, left standing is the 10th Circuit's ruling that roadside crosses commemorating fallen state troopers is unconstitutional. The crosses – which are enormous displays bearing the insignia of the UHP – give the impression of a government endorsement of Christianity, the court ruled. Instead of removing them, however, the organization is trying to modify them in hopes of keeping them up. AP reports:
Over the past week, the 12-foot-high Roman crosses have been stripped of the brown and gold beehive-shaped logo of the Utah Highway Patrol, association attorney Frank Mylar said.
The 14 crosses — 11 on state land and three on private property — still bear the names of the state troopers they were erected to honor.
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The removal of the UHP logo from the crosses doesn't solve the religious-endorsement problem, [civil rights attorney Brian] Barnard said.
"It's a step in the right direction," Barnard said. "But the cross still remains a poignant religious symbol and it's in a prominent place on government property where no other organization or individual is given permission to have a similar display."
