8-1-1 Short Answer PDF

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Short Answer Week 8...

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Heather Fisher

8-1-1 Short Answer: Religion in the Media For this assignment, in order to fully understand both sides of the controversy as well as fully answer both questions, I had to look up and use 2 news articles instead of just one.

1. Provide a link to the news story and write a short (2- to 3-sentence) summary of each side's position. Artifact:  A 6-foot monument of the Ten Commandments built on the Arkansas Capitol lawn. News Articles:  Controversial Ten Commandments monument built on Arkansas state capitol grounds:



https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/06/27/ten-commandments-monument-built-arkansasstate-capitol-grounds/431703001/ Arkansas installs Ten Commandments monument: https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/27/us/arkansasten-comandment-monument/index.html

Argument FOR Monument:  The construction of the 6ft monument was originally approved in 2015 in the Ten Commandments Monument Display Act. The Act defined the Ten Commandments as "an important component of the moral foundation of the laws and legal system of the United States of America and of the State of Arkansas.". Supporters of the monument say that it “honors the roll the Ten Commandments have played in the history of the nation’s law”. Argument AGAINST Monument:  The argument against the monument’s construction is based on the feeling of violation of the First Amendment. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas and other opposed parties feel that the monument is an “unconstitutional endorsement of Religion” and that it’s a signal to people who aren’t a part of that particular religion, or any religion at all, that they’re less than or “second-class” citizens. Non-supporters like LeeWood Thomas, a member of the ASF isn’t happy with the construction of the monument saying, "To see elected government officials go through with the erection of a religious monument on our capitol lawn is appalling."

2. How do you think the controversy was impacted by each party's interpretation of this

artifact? 

I think the controversy was hugely impacted by both party’s interpretation of the monument. I also feel that both party’s had extremely strong arguments for and against the artifact. The fact that it took over 2 years, an actual law being put in place, and 100% private funding for the monument to even get approval for construction speaks volumes about the impact of each party’s argument....