Foreword
In 1961, the Fraternal Order of Eagles — a public service organization — donated a six-foot-tall monument depicting the Ten Commandments to the State of Texas for display on the grounds of its capitol. It would remain there without controversy for nearly 40 years, until it caught the attention of a homeless former lawyer named Thomas Van Orden.Reflecting upon the monument, Van Orden, a self-described atheist, decided that it represented a State endorsement of religion — and, therefore, violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In January 2002, after receiving a waiver for all fees,…
