My friends and supporters,

The battle for the Los Angeles County Seal had another chapter added to the struggle. The story below is to the point, but it does not do justice to the efforts of all of you who took action and made such an impact on the National Level and National Awareness of the fight. From the store fronts to the floor of Congress, you showed your willingness to accept the challenge. We did not go quietly into the night. We did not take the road of appeasement.

It has been my honor to be at your side and I look forward to our future campaigns for the security and safety of our rights as American Citizens.

David Hernandez
Committee to Support the Los Angeles County Seal

P.S.
I will now go forward with the book honoring your efforts and bringing the light of truth to the events which took place.
 

Supreme Court declines to hear appeal in LA County seal case
Daily News Wire Services
Article Last Updated: 12/03/2007 10:28:25 AM PST

The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear an appeal of a man who sued over Los Angeles County's decision to remove a cross from the county seal.

The high court's refusal to hear the case effectively ends the challenge brought by county employee Ernesto Vasquez, who claimed the county's action can reasonably be interpreted as hostile to Christianity.

Without comment, the justices declined to hear the case.

In May, a three-justice panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss the lawsuit by Vasquez, who argued that a 2004 redesign of the seal that eliminated a small, gold cross sent a message to Christians that they are outsiders.

The county -- which removed the cross and other elements of the seal under threat of a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union -- "was motivated by a legitimate secular purpose" of avoiding violation of the Constitution's Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from supporting one religious idea over others, the panel's ruling stated.

The ruling noted that the county changed the seal only after the presence of crosses on other municipal seals had been ruled unconstitutional.

The appeals panel did not rule on whether the cross on Los Angeles County's seal was also unconstitutional, but stated, "We believe that a `reasonable observer' familiar with the history and controversy surrounding the use of crosses on municipal seals would not perceive the primary effect of defendants' action as one of hostility towards religion.

Rather, it would be viewed as an effort by defendants to comply with the Establishment Clause and avoid unwanted future litigation."

The previous county seal had been in place since 1957. In addition to the cross, the county removed images of the Roman goddess Pomona and oil derricks from the design.

The new seal instead features images of Mission San Gabriel and a Native American woman.

Vasquez, who identified himself as a "devout Christian," claimed he was harmed because, as a county employee, he was forced to be in direct contact with the altered seal.