A white cross erected on a rock outcropping on federal land in California’s Mojave Desert is at the heart of a Supreme Court case about the government’s display of religious symbols.
Critics say the cross violates the Constitution’s ban on government establishment of religion. The case will be argued Wednesday.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Death Valley post first built the cross at Sunrise Rock in 1934 to honor Americans who died in combat in World War I. The most recent version of the cross was erected 11 years ago by a man named Henry Sandoz.
Neither the VFW nor Sandoz ever owned the land where the cross is located ”” nor did they have permission to build on the land.