I get that American Atheists Inc. has every right to wield its beliefs - publicly and loudly - against all things suggesting that God is in his universe.

Atheists serve a useful purpose in this country. They are the burr under the saddle of this predominantly Christian nation. They are like the kid in class who won't sit quietly and join in while everyone else is practicing perfect penmanship.

When atheists poke and prod at none-too-subtle efforts to co-mingle church and state, they help shake up the 80 percent of Christians in this nation and nudge them toward considering that others - if only a few - may see life differently.

They have a way of making sure the rights of the minority don't get trampled. You remember that nugget from civics class, right? Protecting the minority matters, even in a place built on majority rule.

But sometimes the American Atheists go all prickly. They get petty. Sometimes they get it really wrong.

American Atheists Inc. has chosen our little ol' state to get riled up about crosses erected on highways to memorialize state troopers killed in the line of duty. Last week, the Texas-based organization filed a suit in U.S. District Court seeking removal of the 14 crosses, each of them 12 feet high, from public property. The suit also seeks removal of the Utah Highway Patrol symbol from the center of the crosses.

Their argument is that UHP symbol on the cross is a government-sponsored endorsement of religion, which violates the First Amendment. Ditto for those crosses that stand on public land. It's the first lawsuit of its kind in the nation, but the atheists are on a roll here.

American Atheists president Ellen Johnson, who lives in New Jersey, told The Associated Press this week that depending on the outcome of the Utah effort, they may file similar actions in other states.

" . . . These crosses are going up everywhere," Johnson told the AP. "We end up with little shrines everywhere."

That's some travesty, all right. All of us who barrel along in our comfy cars, forced to take two whole seconds to contemplate a fallen cop who died on some lonely stretch of road while doing his or her job. The object of our attention is a big white cross. Yes, I get precisely where the Atheists are going with this. This time, they messed up.

Back in the late '90s, the Utah Highway Patrol Association raised private funds to post the crosses, with full support of the late troopers' surviving relatives. The families were fine with the use of the cross, which, while no one would argue is the ancient and predominant symbol of Christianity, has come to mean more. In this case, the troopers' crosses signify service to others and the ultimate sacrifice.

To some, this issue adds up to more than a mild annoyance. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff on Tuesday called the lawsuit "mean and ignorant." Shurtleff told me he understands the purpose of protecting the rights of minorities (he has, in fact, been a tireless advocate of hate-crimes legislation), but he believes the suit "is not based on law" and that his office will vigorously defend the state in the matter.

"I think it's safe to say when they drive by one of these crosses, the average observer is not thinking about the state endorsing religion," Shurtleff said.

"I'm beyond aggravated about this. This amounts to spitting on these troopers' graves."

Here is a case where the Atheists botched it. Pick your battles, people, save your energy.

Any state endorsement here is on the side of valor and compassion.

hmullen@sltrib.com or (801) 257-8610