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Reaction to Monument's Removal is Mixed

By Bobby Puppione, Alabama Public Radio

Tuscaloosa, AL – Opinions were mixed today about the removal of the ten commandments monument from public view. Barry Lind, Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State says he is pleased with today's events.

"I think today marks a tremendous victory for the rule of law and respect for religious diversity in Alabama and around the country."

Lind says the issue was never about the ten commandments, but rather if the government has the right to promote religion. Bob Jewitt of the Christian Defense Coalition says the monument's removal is troubling.

"There was a lot of yelling and screaming for them to put the monument back. People are voicing their opinions in different ways: crying, yelling, praying, kneeling, and laying down in the streets."

Jewitt says protesters will wear Ten commandments t-shirts and stand in the rotunda once the building is opened to the public. At approximately 9:05 this morning, a moving company came into the building and placed the 53 hundred pound monument on wooden blocks and rolled it out of the rotunda.

For the Alabama report, I'm Bobby Puppione.

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