Not to be outdone by Texas' granite Ten Commandments monument at the State Capitol in Austin, the Oklahoma House has voted 83-2 to erect a similar structure on the Capitol Grounds. The Texas monument was found constitutional by a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling, while another Ten Commandments display – in Kentucky – was disallowed, in a decision penned by Justice Souter.
Clearly the Oklahoma legislature hopes that by imitating Texas' effort, theirs will be legal and not a violation of the Establishment Clause. Just in case, though, as reported by Religion Clause, the bill authorizes the state to defend any challenges to its constitutionality.
[UPDATE 5/11: The OK Senate voted 38-8 to send the Ten Commandments bill to the Governor. Americans United is urging Brad Henry to veto the measure.]
