I wrote this after reading this article 'Controversial Memorial Cross Stolen' on military.com and the associated comments posted by other readers

The transfer of land to private hands seems to me an appropriate solution in this specific case, even as a supporter of the separation of church and state. Some seem to have the idea that the Supreme Court ruled it is not a religious symbol for the purposes of a memorial on public land. That belief is incorrect since if that were true then there would not have been a need to transfer the land to private ownership and the case would not have been about whether is was appropriate for the government to transfer the land to private hands, which as all the Supreme Court ruled on, whether or not the land transfer was legal. The transfer of land as the solution, is based on it is a religious symbol in the first place and I add as a religious symbol, it is clearly a Christian one. It is clear to me the primary purpose of the memorial is to glorify the sacrifices of Christian soldiers while virtually dismissing the sacrifices of those of any other belief. I support the Supreme Courts decision to not require it's removal at this time, and to send it back to a lower court for further review, Though it is a triumph for personal religious rights, it does not mean a cross is now legally ruled an appropriate war memorial. A war memorial must symbolically honor all of whom sacrificed in the war it represents, not the majority but ALL and a clearly Christian symbol does not do that. Private groups should memorialize as they wish on private land, but should not claim that doing so based on their personal religious beliefs is representing anything but just that.

I am saddened as a true freedom loving American to see the majority of comments on military.com are excessively reactionary; often suggesting a violation of civil right that are the corner stone of a free society, they are filled with hate, political and religious bias, stereotyping, generalizing and unfounded assumptions, etc. Making assumptive statements that all people of a group opposed to Christian conservative views by being such would engage in the radical actions of the perpetrators of this crime is tantamount to assuming that the views and actions of all Christian conservatives are the same as those of the radical Westboro Baptist Church. If people want to throw out unfounded accusations, here’s one for you; for all we know a supporter of the memorial not satisfied with a win in the courts decision stole it to vilify those who hold similar religious and political views as those who supported legal action for its removal. Also by doing so, ensuring a new and better cross would be finance by the outrage. It's just as likely as any other assumptions or scenario and explains why this massive object just disappeared over night with out notice. However as some may be aware that the Desert Dispatch in Barstow receive inclusive and unverified information from a 3rd party in regards to the cross removal. The originator of the information claimed amongst other things to be a veteran, that the cross has not been or going to be destroyed, will eventually be returned and the main reason revolving around its removal is that the memorial for the site should be nonsectarian to truly represent all veterans who died in WWI.

Thought the theft of the Christians' war memorial is criminal, foolish and unwarranted, it is not the original cross anyway and it will be a simple matter to replace it with a better one, as has been done in past when the previous cross deteriorated from weathering and time. I would think that most would take a more positive view and see it as a grand opportunity for a bigger better cross, rather than an opportunity to justify to yourself an open display of disdain for those who do not hold your religious or political views. It’s time to stop the hate and start showing support for a new cross and with the outrage inspired funding, maybe a massive solid titanium cross sunk 4 to 6 feet into the rock, to make sure it stays put. That is if the land transfer is completed based on a final ruling by the courts.