In June, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the display violated the state constitution, which prohibits use of state property to further religions.
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Lawmakers have argued that the monument, which was paid for with private money and installed in 2012, was not serving a religious objective but was meant to mark a historical event.
We wanted it to be done as quickly and efficiently as possible, and doing it at night gave us the best opportunity to do that. “We didn’t want disturbance that could’ve complicated the removal”.
“There were legitimate security concerns”. “There was a little hooting and hollering from a few folks who showed up, but it went smoothly”.
State legislator Mike Ritze, who gifted the monument to the state, plans to repeal the amendment that the state Supreme Court cited in its decision.
The granite marker was moved to the offices of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs overnight.
“We have not received anything on the monument to this point, and I do not know how much of anything has been raised”, Mosier wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
While Mosier waits for payment for building the monument, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is seeking to get it back on the Capitol grounds.
In a recent interview, he expressed his satisfaction at the removal of the monument by the State government; “I’m not opposed to the Ten Commandments”.
The governor and proponents of the monument claimed the monument’s presence is no different from a Christmas tree lighting held at the Capitol every year or Native American works of art that include symbols of religion, tribal culture and history that are permitted to be displayed on government property.
The establishment of the monument spurred requests from other religious organizations to have their own monuments erected.
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According to OCPA president Michael Carnuccio, they will keep the monument “while lawmakers pursue legislative solutions that allow it to be returned to the Capitol grounds”.
