Appeals Court Says God in Pledge
Read Time:2 Minute, 10 Second
Yesterday I wrote an essay on the need to separate the church from the state, as intended and articulated by the Founding Fathers. I even mentioned the necessity of removing the words “In God We Trust” from our currency. I had no idea that this definitely wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
The Right Wing Jesus Jumpers are hell bent (no pun intended) on taking over the government of the United States. An example of their unprecedented influence is reflected in the latest Federal Appeals Court ruling that holds that both the God reference on currency and in the pledge of allegiance should remain, and that it does not violate the church and state rule. Writing for the court, naturally, was a Bush appointee. Here is the story from Huff Post:
A federal appeals court upheld the use of the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance and “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency, rejecting arguments Thursday that the phrases violate the separation of church and state.
The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected two legal challenges by Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow, who said the references to God are unconstitutional and infringe on his religious beliefs.
The same appeals court caused a national uproar and prompted accusations of judicial activism when it decided in Newdow’s favor in 2002, ruling that the pledge violated the First Amendment prohibition against government endorsement of religion.
President George W. Bush called the 2002 decision “ridiculous,” senators passed a resolution condemning the ruling and Newdow received death threats.
That lawsuit reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004, but the high court said Newdow lacked the legal standing to file the suit because he didn’t have custody of his daughter, on whose behalf he brought the case.
So Newdow filed an identical challenge on behalf of other parents who objected to the recitation of the pledge at school. In 2005, a federal judge in Sacramento decided in Newdow’s favor, prompting the appeals court to take up the case again.
Judge Carlos Bea, who was appointed by Bush in 2003, wrote for the majority in Thursday’s 2-1 ruling.
“The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our Republic was founded,” he said.
Bea noted that schools do not require students to recite the pledge, which was amended to include the words “under God” by a 1954 federal law. Members of Congress at the time said they wanted to set the United States apart from “godless communists.”
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0
I’m with double b. The left (and, yes, the right, too) needs to be a little more judicious in picking its battles. I mean, come on, when people recite the Pledge of Allegience, are they really processing the words? When I was a kid, I used to say it as fast as I could to get it over with (which, granted, was kind of embarrassing in a large group). And the money thing, the money thing, all I’ve got in response to that is SHOW ME THE MONEY!!…..And, plus, you don’t want to totally alienate the center, do you?
In my opinion the pledge is like a cross between a prayer and a loyalty oath.
Good post. Personally, I think the “American dream” can be described / certainly demonstrated by ‘and harm none, to each his or her own’. Our country was founded on the idea of religious freedom … a most primary concern. Perhaps it should predicated more simply… on common human decency and kindness? Geesh. Liked your post MadMike 🙂
They just had a piece on CNN about these crazies who are going around to military funerals and calling the family names. I would love to personally shoot every one of the Bible Bangin’, Jesus Jumpin’ sons of bitches.
In some ways this is a fine line to walk. Religion has crept into government for many centuries because of every leader’s fear of alienating the populace. I don’t know know who thought up this idea but he or she was a marketing genius. Humans were given just enough brain power to wonder why things happen the way they do but not enough to simply accept the fact that “shit happens” and it isn’t magic. We would have probably been batter off if we had stayed about two steps below the chimps. Then we could have been like other animals and just accept the fact that sometimes it is brighter than other times, sometimes it rains and sometimes it doesn’t. Things just happen or they don’t.
Religion is dangerous in government, and equally as dangerous in society. These fanatics need to throw themselves off a cliff.
I tell you what, these tamborine bangers for Jesus just piss me off and get on the last good nerve I have. I had to go get a temporary restraining order on one of them this morning, that I will be making permanent in 3 weeks. It is one thing to be all in with your religion but DO NOT mess with me because I have none because I will not take kindly to it. This guy has been going to court for this for a few years that I can remember. I wish we could find the TBFJ** a nice place they could all go and not bother the rest of us.
**Tamborine bangers for Jesus
“Tambourine Bangers for Jesus.” There is always something new. Unbelievable that you actually had to get a TRO Jessica. Good luck. Some of these nuts can be dangerous.
McCarthyism died, but its effects live on. This is what happens when paranoia leads decisions. The pledge was fine for years without putting God into it. Of course, I’m not keen on any pledge to begin with.
I’m not keen on any of that nonsense Tom.
I understand the point but everyone is going to hate me on this one but we have far worse issues not being dealt with than worrying about a belief mention of God in the Pledge and on the money. The God stuff has been in the Pledge and on the money for decades, if its part of a biblethumping plot to overthrow the secular republic its a pretty poor plan.
I’d rather we slay real dragons like health care and getting America energy independent which will take some goodwill from the other side. All this does is give ammo to the Glenn Beck types convinced that any thing even remotely smelling “progressive” is a commie plot.
Yeah, I’m saying this is a non-issue and throw the rightwingers a bone.
I agree it is a pretty poor plan my friend, then again the fact they have a plan at all is kind of scary.
4D, I like the way you put it – god botherers. and yes, they are.
Infidel – I begin to understand. Thank you for that. So, to all intents and purposes the Christian Right in the USA want religion brought into Government?
Good grief. What is the world coming too??
And I do remember the Church over here having a go at the Danish cartoons – which I thought were not particularly well drawn but rather amusing myself.
Much to ponder old bean! Much to ponder.
So, to all intents and purposes the Christian Right in the USA want religion brought into Government?
That’s pretty much it. One of their biggest goals is making abortion illegal again, for example, because it’s a religious taboo. Another is to get the Biblical story of creation taught in school science classes alongside, or instead of, evolution.
The most hard-line wing of the Christian Right is the believers in what is called “Dominion theology” which advocates an explicitly Biblical government including full enforcement of all the Old Testament laws — stoning to death for homosexuality or adultery, for example. Yes, in the 21st century.
The Christian Right is about 20 to 60 million people depending on how it’s defined. I don’t know how many of those support Dominion theology.
Not to mention the historical inaccuracy of their argument, but then, I’m not trying to talk to rational people when people are trying to force me to live by their particular religious creed.
Hate this decision. I’m not personally very bothered by the phrases on my currency or the words of the pledge, but I get sick of hearing the Crazos use those two examples when they try to tell me that the founding fathers support their type of religious-based bigotry.
Thumbs up!
4D: Britain is officially (technically) a Christian country, the United States very explicitly is not. This is the first thing in the Bill of Rights. No establishment of religion.
Christianity in Europe isn’t a defense against Islam, it’s an accomplice. Recall how the Pope and most European Christian religious leaders sided with the Muslims against the Danish cartoonists, for example, while the secular media defended the cartoonists.
In any case, Christianity in America is rather different. Our Christian Right is rather similar to your Islamists.
Britain is officially a Christian nation, because one of the reigning monarchs titles is, “Defender Of The Faith.”
Heathen…There are Jesus Jumping “God Botherers” on the Left but they don’t get a lot of traction. It seems to be a hobby most practiced and preached by the monsters of the Right. Like you I am also a heathen by the way, in the unlikely event you haven’t noticed 🙂
Up here in Canada, a big part of social democratic politics (especially in its early decades) was occupied by Social Gospel types – people who believed with all their hearts that caring, community and addressing poverty are essential to Christianity. Tommy Douglas, the ‘father of socialized medicine’ in Canada, was a Social Gospel guy. So was my personal parliamentary hero, Stanley Knowles. I suppose Britain’s Fabian Society had a lot of them, too.
Personally, I believe in a ‘social gospel’. The problem is that the American Taliban believes in war, intolerance, bigotry and greed, proclaimed from the pulpit and wrapped in the flag.
Well said TC!
The Douglas-Caldwell Foundation is a similar organization to The Fabian Society I believe.
Actually – despite my athiest tendencies – I think keeping the God thing in the pledge is a good thing.
One of the reasons for Islams rise in the west is Christianities downturn – and I’m one of the ones to blame!
I even like the idea of Great Britain being described as a Christian country. Odd for an athiest I suppose. Just sounds better than an Islamic state…;-)
Are all American right wingers God botherers? Surely some of the left leaning are religious too?
The wifey’s a church goer and, until recently, her hubby was a leading trade unionist at Heathrow.
She often calls me ‘her heathen’..;-)
My fear is that this is just one more step in the “Right” direction, and that is something we just don’t need.
Dang. Well, you can’t win ’em all. I wish this had gone the other way, but I’d rather lose on a symbolic issue like the Pledge than on something more substantive.