As conservative members of the Board of Supervisors in Los Angeles continue to push for the inclusion of a cross in its design, others believe that the government seal is no place for the Christian symbol.
This is not the first time that people are debating over this subject though. In 2004, the board decided to get rid of a cross that was on its seal for decades in an attempt to avoid a hefty lawsuit. Now, 10 years later, supervisors Don Knabe and Michael Antonovich want it reinserted.
According to the two conservatives, the design of the current seal of the San Gabriel Mission, which is a religious landmark, is “artistically and architecturally incorrect” without a cross. While the building bears a cross, the newest rendition of the seal does not accurately depict the same.
“We therefore move that the Board of Supervisors and direct the Chief Executive Officer to make the county seal artistically, aesthetically and architecturally correct by placing the cross on top of the San Gabriel Mission, in order to accurately reflect the cultural and historical role that the mission played in the development of the Los Angeles County region,” wrote the two in their motion.
Even though Knabe and Antonovich are insisting that restoring the cross in the seal will only correct an inaccuracy, not everyone agrees with them. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the government seal is no place for the Christian cross.
“Putting the cross back into the design communicates that Los Angeles County favors and endorses one religion above all others,” said Hector Villagra, executive director, ACLU of Southern California, who believes the county will risk facing a lawsuit all over again if it chooses to restore the cross.
The ACLU is well versed with this debate as the group played an important role in successfully battling the removal of the cross in 2004, which is why the county spent approximately $700,000 back then, in an effort to remove the seal from all government uniforms, buildings, stationery and public venues.
Photo Credit: Billy Hathorn
