Posted on 06/26/2002 3:17:41 PM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - The White House Wednesday called a California appeals court ruling on the Pledge of Allegiance "wrong," and announced that the Justice Department plans to take action.
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the pledge is unconstitutional and should not be recited in schools, because the phrase "under God" violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution.
"The view of the White House is that this was a wrong decision and the Department of Justice is now evaluating how to seek redress," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.
"The Declaration of Independence refers to God as the creator four different times. Congress begins each session of the Congress each day with a prayer and our currency says 'In God We Trust,'" he said.
Fleischer emphasized that the decision is one from a circuit court that only affects nine states and not a national court decision.
"I think that people are very naturally ... going to react strongly opposed to this," he said. "I think this decision will not sit well with the American people and it certainly does not sit well with the president of the United States.
"I think most Americans have faith in God, and they are going to express [their faith] and the pledge everyday that they can," he said.
Meanwhile, Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition said the ruling should be a wake-up call for President Bush to appoint more conservative court judges -- even if it means bypassing the Senate.
"We can expect more anti-God decisions like the one just handed down by the judicial tyrants in San Francisco, if we don't get good conservative judges on the federal bench," Sheldon said. "Senators Daschle, Leahy, and McCain need to get out of the way and confirm Bush's nominees quickly.
"We're sick and tired of Tom Daschle blocking the confirmation of God-fearing judges like Charles Pickering," he continued. "Americans want men like Pickering on the bench who respect America's religious heritage and understand that we truly are a nation under God.
"If Senators Daschle, Leahy, and McCain don't get out of the way this week, I think it's time for President Bush to begin making recess appointments of his judicial nominees," he said. "Enough is enough!"
Rep. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, vowed to go a step further if needed.
"If necessary, I will offer a constitutional amendment to ensure Americans can voluntarily say the [Pledge of Allegiance] in public and private settings without being in violation of the law," said Graham.
"The reference in the Pledge to being 'one nation under God' is in no way the establishment of religion by the government. If America ever needed God's blessing and guidance, it's now," he concluded.
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ME TOO!
Anyone here want to start a movement to privatize all the schools in the country? That would neatly solve all the problems.
That is not the argument. The question is, does the state have the right to promulgate religious beliefs in a state institution? The answer is clearly NO.
I'll go for that!
Sure would. alot of 'em, anyway.
I have to take a mild disagreement here. I consider myself to be a Deist, and some of our great Founding Fathers were in fact Deists. The full Pledge of Allegience and the expression "In God We Trust" in no way bothers me at all.
I didn't say you did, and I didn't use the word "enraged" to describe myself. Others have made references to their level of anger here and that is what I was referring to.
Something is moving you to click that mouse and hit those keys. What is it?
Could be that this is a discussion board and this is the most interesting thing going on today. What do you think? Try talking about the issues instead of me, OK? Or have you exhausted anything substantive you can say and you have to resort to that?
The nation was just as angry when Madalyn Murray O'Hare got prayer thrown out of the public schools in 1964. After a few years, few people cared. Then came Roe v. Wade and the greater part of the nation was hopping mad again. Again, after a few years few people cared.
The atheists, liberals, and humanists are cunning. They know that time is on their side. With patience, they will eventually succeed in reforming this nation entirely into their own godless image.
Again what kind of nonfaith do you have if you are threatened by something you think is akin to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny is being recited about by a government employee?
Good question.... let's ask the 'straight talk express' mouth piece...
md ... what is Mc position now, the same or has it changed regarding judicial appts.
I believe it [the ruling] is an outrage. I pray to God it is overturned, but we cannot make the mistake of counting on SCOTUS, after all, they have been known to surprise us all now & again.
My children know an "edited" version is not acceptable and have learned to not say "under God" equals a public denial of God.
If 9/11 was not a wake-up call for the country, can I hope this is? God save us from ourselves.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
[snip]
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Hmmm, looks to me as if the Declaration of Independence might be Unconstitutional, ya think?
No. There are a bunch more last straws.
Cut off cable TV.
Food Stamps
Sports
Put the proles into a mad mode.
NINTH CIRCUIT RULES U.S. AN ILLEGAL ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION
United States Now Null And Void, Says Court
April 23, 2005 (AP) - The United States Ninth Circuit today ruled that the Declaration of Independence was promulgated on an unConstitutional establishment of religion in its use of such language as "the laws of nature and of nature's God ," "endowed by their Creator," "the Supreme Judge of the world," "the protection of Divine Providence," and "sacred honor."
As a result, the Declaration of Independence is null and void, based as it was on erroneous assumptions about where "unalienable rights" actually come from. Indeed, given the illegal invocation of a mythical "divine being", it is likely that such "rights" are now inoperable.
The Court has decided that herewith, the United States, severally and together, are now under the jurisdiction of the only "supreme judge of the world" and "protector" that can be found, the United Nations.
Speaking shortly after the ruling was handed down, U.N. General Secretary Bill Clinton announced that the U.N. is selling off the individual states one by one, in an auction on eBay commencing on Sunday of this week. The initial bids are expected to be high, as the states are considered one-of-a-kind collectibles.
Details will follow as they become available.
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