A cross has been part of the Los Angeles County Seal for most of the past 60 years, but following a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, that could soon change.
The original seal included a simple cross, but the county was forced to remove it after the ACLU successfully argued it was a violation of “separation of church and state.” Instead, the county added an image of the historic San Gabriel Mission without its cross.
The seal changed again in 2014 when county leaders added the San Gabriel Mission’s cross, prompting a second ACLU lawsuit. Last week, at the ACLU’s request, the US. District Court for the Central District of California issued an injunction against the cross.
The Pacific Justice Institute has urged the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to appeal that decision.
“The ACLU may not like our state and national history, but no lawsuit can change reality,” PJI president Brad Dacus said. “The historic San Gabriel Mission is a crucial part of the history of Los Angeles, and it should be depicted on the county seal the same way it appears in real life.”
PJI has offering to lend legal support to the County if it chooses to appeal, such as filing a friend-of-the-court brief.
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