Memorial to WWI Vets stolen.

A memorial to WWI vets, which has been standing on what was once public land since 1934 and has long been the subject of contention by anti-Christian activists because it is in the shape of a cross, was stolen last weekend.  This just two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the memorial could stay.  It disappeared the night of May 9th, shortly after a wooden box covering the memorial had been removed.

The memorial had been covered with the wooden box for years, after ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) activists filed a lawsuit in an attempt have the memorial removed.  It is located inside what is now the Mojave National Preserve, but when erected, the land was administered by the General Land Office.  The land the memorial is on had recently been sold and transferred to private owners in order to lessen continued controversy.   It was originally erected by volunteers from the Veteran's of Foreign War as a tribute to veterans of World War One, but has come to memorialize all U.S. Veterans.  The memorial was constructed of concrete filled welded pipe, and was bolted to a concrete foundation.  People who cared for the memorial have said it was unlikely that one person would have been able to remove the memorial in the time available to do so.

It's sad that people should go to such great lengths to remove not only a memorial to our servicemen and women, but what is also legally considered an "artifact" under Federal law regarding items on public lands, not to mention what has recently been deemed private property. Apparently, some common thieves must have decided that not only is the military unsuitable for tribute, but that the Supreme Court ruling and private property laws mean nothing as well.  Such anti-American sentiment, unfortunately, is rampant in today's United States.

Looks like fodder for a future episode of "Liberals Gone Wild".

The National Park Service has a tip hotline for anyone with info about the theft: (760) 252-6120.  The Liberty Institute is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.