Religious Controversy Over Katrina Memorial

A proposed memorial for Hurricane Katrina victims is being debated, reports the Los Angeles Times.

St. Bernard’s Parish, in New Orleans, is proposing a memorial that includes a cross bearing a depiction of Jesus that has sparked a conflict between parish officials and the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU argues that adding the cross to the memorial is unconstitutional since local government officials were part of the committee that created the idea, and it believes the memorial site is public land.

Parish officials contend that the land, located near a public waterway, is private. Parish President Henry “Junior” Rodriguez said, “We’re just trying to memorialize the people who passed away during Hurricane Katrina. This has nothing to do with religion. We’re going to memorialize these people, whether the ACLU likes it or not.”