White House Says Court Ruling On Pledge Is 'Wrong'(Graham: Constitutional Amendment If Necessary)

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 6/26/02 | Jim Burns

[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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[jpl]

Atheists and pagans don't have rights to their beliefs?

They're perfectly free not to say "under God" if they don't want to, and you know it. For that matter, I don't think they can even be forced to recite the pledge at all if they don't want to.

[HiTech RedNeck]

2. Public schools have a right to make attendance compulsory

How is THIS argued. Home schooling is 50 state legal. However this putrid decision is yet another reason to separate school and state. Make all schooling private.

[Husker24]

Unfortunately there will be no constitutional amendment, the Dems will come up with a solution, keep the pledge, get rid of the "one nation under god" part. Then it will be constitutional according to them. The Rinos will agree to this.

[Goldi-Lox]

Rep. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, vowed to go a step further if needed.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.

---------------
GOD BLESS LINDSEY GRAHAM....

[PhiKapMom]

Daschle looked so uncomfortable and after Sen Jeff Sessions just got through trashing the DemocRATS for holding up Pres Bush's judicial nominees he had better be crawling in a hole. When I get his remarks, they are going up on here so everyone can see just what Sen Sessions had to say. Alabama should be proud to have elected him as their Senator.

I just sent him an email and told him he should be named Chairman of the Judiciary Committee when my Senator Nickles (R-OK) becomes Majority Leader!

Sen Sessions would be perfect as Chairman of the Judiciary and Sen Nickles would make a great Majority Leader.

[PhiKapMom]

Nope -- only on CNN and my local radio stations. I refuse to watch the alphabet networks! Candy Crowley did a marvelous job of tying this to daschle and leahy BTW which shocked me. I did tune in Dallas, Wichita, OKC, Tulsa, and Fort Smith, AR, for reaction from here in Norman.

[Husker24]

Just wait, you know their gonna go after "In God We Trust" next.

[Grampa Dave]

Do you get paid for your President Bush Bashings or is this your cheap entertainment! Is it your Viagra replacement?

Keep it up! You show how irrelevent and out of touch with America the Third Party Losers are! You clowns are more dangerous than the liberals.

Thank God, you can never win any elections and have any power! Yep, I said God! Lets hear another one of your inane bash President Bush mantras.

[HiTech RedNeck]

All 3 of the offices I contacted today told me that 29 of the last 30 rulings made were OVERTURNED.

How can a court be THAT wrong? Flipping a coin would yield better odds.

[Williams]

You're right I have changed my mind and now believe the pledge should be changed to read "without God." I do believe however, that the wickens and witches might want some reference to nature or Mother Earth because they worship nature and not a God. I am not a person who wears religion on their sleeve, but I think editing the Pledge of Allegiance to remove "God" is misguided. But then along with the anti Catholic and anti Christian rhetoric I keep hearing on the radio, there are constant references to how the Christians persecuted the poor pagans. The return to paganism will be a real positive step. I guess in the end it's all just anti religious because socialism sees religion asa threat.

[Huck]

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.

That's my point. Why wait? Get it going now.

[Goldi-Lox]

It appears that the time for MASSIVE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE is at hand. This is the perfect issue for the people of this country to stand up and be heard.

We need to play Red Skelton's reading of the Pledge on every radio...every hour.

[demlosers]

I just sent him an email and told him he should be named Chairman of the Judiciary Committee when my Senator Nickles (R-OK) becomes Majority Leader!

Oh i'd like to see that; replace that spineless Trent Lott!

[mlo]

Atheists ( just like JW's and others who object) are not required to say the pledge in schools.

Very true, but why should my (hyopthetical) children be subjected to this superstition in a school that my tax dollars pay for? That is wrong, and that goes AGAINST freedom of religion. You are perfectly free to teach your children right out of the bible in your home or your private school, but the state has no business telling mine this is a nation "under god" when that may contradict my own beliefs.

[HiTech RedNeck]

So it's still a hoary tradition. I would expect teachers in the area covered by the 9th to say "... one nation" [pregnant pause] "indivisible ..." while the kids fill in the "under God" part on their own.

[anniegetyourgun]

Your children are not required to say the pledge of allegiance either. Just as they are not required to pray during a moment of silence. Perhaps you will see to it that they are not required to learned the preamble to the declaration of independence either. I'm sure you will do all you can to protect them from eternity in heaven with a God who loves them so.

[TexKat]

Call Federal Judge Alfred Goodwin and demand that he immediately resign... (415) 556-9800

And run Michael Nowdow of Sacramento (the American atheist that filed the lawsuit)out on the rail.

If he did not want his child to say the Pledge of Allegiance, then he could have instructed her not to. A lawsuit was unneccary. 15 minutes of fame.Atheist a$$hole.

Check out the signatures on the petition. Especially Allah and Rim Job Robinson. I wish it was possible that only FR members could sign the petition.

It has reached the time that drastic times cause for drastic measures.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Funny we never had whining like this from any of the founding fathers.

[southern rock]

With all the real substantive issues out there to be mad about, why should this little trifle trigger such rage? Talk about your style over substance, I thought that's what we always criticized the liberals about.

Yep. Lokks like this non-issue is going to be the "bread and circuses" of the conservative movement for a while. A better distraction for conservatives could not have been planned.

I always thought it was the discarding of the constitution, the trampling of the Bill of Rights, and the assault on private property that was the reason to get riled and angry.

Guess not. The pledge is obviously far more important. /sarcasm

[aristeides]

Yes, now President Bush has the perfect argument to use for making recess appointments. I don't think the Dems would dare oppose him now.