Texas Gov. Greg Abbott supports Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson’s decision to allow his officer’s to display a cross with a thin blue line on their patrol vehicles.
Abbott sent a brief to Attorney General Ken Paxton Friday saying that he supported Dodson on his decision.
Abbott, the state's former attorney general, said in his brief that the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t prohibit public officials from recognizing their religion.
“To the contrary, the U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized the demographic and historical reality that Americans are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being.”
Abbott released his statement about the Brewster County crosses when a district attorney serving Brewster County asked Paxton for his opinion on whether the blue cross was allowed. The Governor’s Office agreed with the district attorney that the blue cross was legal and consistent with the First Amendment.
“The Brewster County deputies’ crosses neither establish a religion nor threaten any person’s ability to worship God, or decline to worship God, in his own way,” Abbott wrote. “The symbol of the cross appropriately conveys the solemn respect all Texans should have for the courage and sacrifice of our peace officers.”
To view Abbott’s brief visit http://gov.texas.gov/.
