To the editor:

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruling on the Mojave cross case (Journal-World, April 29) allowing religious symbols on public land is an example of judicial activism usually decried by conservatives. The “Latin cross” identified by Justice Kennedy is redefined as a “war memorial cross.” Au contraire. This is the principal symbol of the Christian religion based on the crucifixion, Christ’s passion and death. Kennedy’s cross choice is only one of four basic types (Greek, Latin, St. Anthony’s and St. Andrew’s) exalted and venerated since 337 AD. Justice Kennedy overlooks the fact that the choice was made by sectarians who placed it there.

Justice Kennedy could have correctly argued that a war memorial symbolic of the many faiths of our fallen soldiers could include all four types as well as the Star of David, the Crescent Moon and Star, the multi-armed Elephant and perhaps a few slaughtered chickens for voodoo practitioners. Or even all of these crowding that rocky desert outcrop.

Justice Alito’s claim that this cross was observed by more rattlesnakes than humans is a textbook example of the fallacy of arguing of the point. He ignores the constitutional questions.

If these conservative justices wanted a war memorial that was nonsectarian they could have suggested the accepted and nearly universal rifle with its bayonet embedded in soil and topped by the fallen soldier’s helmet rather than allowing any sectarian object on public land.