ICC Note: Last month, a Ten Commandments monument located near a New Hampshire city hall was destroyed by unidentified vandals. In a 7-2 vote, the city council decided to reinstall the monument, while also adding flags and other historic symbols in an effort to “neutralize” the religious nature of the display. As previously reported, there have been numerous incidents of Ten Commandments monuments and other religious displays located on government property coming under fire from various secular groups.
By Heather Clark
09/08/2016 United States (Christian News Network) – The city council of one New Hampshire municipality has voted to reinstall a Ten Commandments monument next to city hall after it was toppled last month by an unknown vandal.
The Somersworth City Council voted 7-2 on Tuesday to restore the display to its previous position, and add flagpoles and historic markers to help “neutralize” its presence.
“The city manager and I have worked out a plan which would further neutralize the monument thus ensuring that it would meet all future tests,” Mayor Dana Hilliard said, according to Foster’s Daily Democrat. “The plan includes … a historical sign outlining the history, role and purpose of the monument … and two flag poles.”
The monument had been gifted to the city by the Fraternal Order of Eagles in 1958 and has been displayed on a traffic island adjacent to city hall ever since.
Last month, the display was toppled by a vandal who has yet to be identified.
“This may just be somebody’s idea of savage amusement,” police remarked on Aug. 12. “If anyone has any information it would be very helpful to our investigation.”
