Someone Smashed the Disputed Oklahoma Ten Commandments Monument to Pieces
While I understand the motive completely (it’s appalling that one religion thinks they have the right to put their commandments in Government space,) this was thoroughly dunder-headed, and has probably set back the cause and the case. If I were into conspiracy theories rather than fact I would almost want to think that some Christian wishing to claim victimhood perpetrated this, but let’s wait and get the facts instead, because we are not conspiracy theorists who automatically think everything is a false flag operation here.
Authorities say someone drove across the Oklahoma Capitol lawn and knocked over a Ten Commandments monument that a group has been suing to have removed, smashing it to pieces.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. George Brown says the person drove into the monument on the statehouse steps Thursday night, abandoned the vehicle and fled. Brown says the vehicle was impounded and authorities are searching it for evidence.
The 6-foot-tall granite monument was erected in 2012 after Republican state Rep. Mike Ritze and his family paid nearly $10,000 for it. The American Civil Liberties Union had been suing to have the monument removed, arguing it violates the Oklahoma Constitution.
Update : suspect in Custody:
Authorities took a man into custody Friday after they say he admitted driving a car onto the Oklahoma Capitol grounds overnight and into a disputed granite monument of the Ten Commandments, smashing it to pieces.
The man was detained after he showed up at a federal building in Oklahoma City Friday morning, rambling and making derogatory statements about the president, and admitted destroying the monument, said David Allison, an agent with the U.S. Secret Service in Oklahoma City.
Update:
Mother says suspect “loves his god” :
The suspect has been identified as Michael Tate Reed Jr., 29. He is from Roland and was taken to Oklahoma County mental facility for an emergency order of detention and a mental evaluation.
The suspect said Satan told him to do it, Secret Service officials said. He also reportedly said he would kill President Obama and spit on a photo of Obama. The suspect also allegedly admitted that he urinated on the Ten Commandments monument before running it over.
Reed’s mother, Crystal Tucker, said such an action is not something he would do.
“He would never deface something that meant so much to him. He takes the Ten Commandments very seriously,” Tucker said.
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