South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined an 18-state coalition to support a Louisiana state law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. The attorneys general filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which is currently reviewing the law after a lower court found it to be unconstitutional.
The coalition’s brief argues that the Louisiana law is constitutional based on a historical understanding of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. They assert that the clause must be interpreted by referencing the nation’s historical practices and understandings.
The attorneys general contend that a close look at U.S. history reveals that during the founding era, no one argued that the use of religious symbols in public contexts constituted an illegal religious establishment. They emphasize that the Ten Commandments hold significant historical value as a foundation of the legal system, citing their public display on the U.S. Supreme Court building and other prominent structures in Washington, D.C. They believe it is important for children to learn about these foundational documents.
Attorney General Wilson stressed that society is stronger when religion has a greater presence in public life, stating it is time to end attacks on religion.
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