Gingrich: Pledge Ban Judges Should be Kicked Off Bench

NewsMax.com ^ | 6/26/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said late Wednesday that the two judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional should be removed from the judiciary.

"These two judges are so out of touch with reality that they should be kicked off the bench," Gingrich told Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."

Bristling at the harsh penalty, "H & C" co-host Alan Colmes protested, "For one decision? You kick judges off if you don't like one decision they make?"

"Absolutely," Gingrich shot back. "Look, this decision goes to the heart of what kind of a country we are."

"A judge who believes that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional is unfit to be a federal judge," he contended.

Nixon appointee Justice Alfred T. Goodwin wrote the majority opinion for the 9th Circuit, saying that the words "under God" violated the Constitution's Establishment Clause. Carter appointee Justice Stephen Reinhardt concurred.

Justice Ferdinand F. Fernandez, who was appointed by President Bush's father, offered the lone dissenting vote.

The Bush Justice Department is expected to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
School Choice

[DoughtyOne]

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[Marathon]

They aren't out of touch with reality (well, they are, but not in the way Gingrich is thinking). They are just playing out the logical defense of the state religion (secular humanism) that they have established in contempt of Christianity and other religions. Censoring the Pledge of Allegiance is just the inevitable outworking of their goal to completely eliminate any challenge, criticism of, contradiction to or dissent from the state religion.

SH never has been able to defend itself on logical or empirical grounds, so the reliance on totalitarianism, censorship and other forms of non-rational persuasion (movie propaganda, historical revisionism, etc.) is necessary in their "evangelistic" outreach.

[aristeides]

"A judge who believes that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional is unfit to be a federal judge," he contended.

Newt is not alone. That's very close to what Sen. Byrd said on the Senate floor today.

[newsperson999]

Let the Supreme Court Know what you really think CLICK AND e-mail all around

[aristeides]

Establishing secular humanism as the state religion can only work so long as the fact that that is what is being done is hidden from the public. What those two judges did today was too obvious. They may just by their action have doomed the whole enterprise of establishing secular humanism. The only recourse open to the adherents of secular humanism is to quickly and vociferously repudiate what the judges did, in the hope that the public will not notice.

[Goldi-Lox]

These Judges forgot something very important: 9-11.

After THAT, everything changed. It is no longer acceptable or tolerable to bash the US, its flag, OR its Pledge.

Today, Americans are AT WAR, and PROUD to be Americans. They have embraced the Pledge as a liferaft on a leaking boat. To try to take it away...as these judges are learning...has dire consequences.

[Ronin]

Having Newt the Wonder Twerp on my side in this controvery is not much comfort.

I want that hypocritical sleazeball to shut up and go away.

[Ciexyz]

Ordinary citizens feel helpless in the face of these twisted interpretations of the Constitution. Remember the brouhaha about flag burning? We had to sit back and take all that liberal abuse that we were right-wing Neanderthals when we demanded that citizens respect and protect the flag.

[twntaipan]

Well said. Very well said.

[sofaman]

Michael Savage's caricature of the 9th Circuit really does sum it up...

The 9th Jerkit Court of Shlemiels..

[muawiyah]

Getting fired beats being fired upon every time.

Those judges probably would be well advised to resign first.

[taxtruth]

The SC doesn't rule on what people think in America,it rules on "what they think" in the land of ozz.

[taxtruth]

The SC doesn't rule on what people think in America,it rules on "what they think" in the land of ozz.

[taxtruth]

The SC doesn't rule on what people think in America,it rules on "what they think" in the land of ozz.

[taxtruth]

The SC doesn't rule on what people think in America,it rules on "what they think" in the land of ozz.

[taxtruth]

The SC doesn't rule on what people think in America,it rules on "what they think" in the land of ozz.

[aristeides]

Great pity Savage isn't on tonight. I'm listening to his replacement (on delayed broadcast) right now. He's not the same. Tonight, Savage would be in his glory.

[B Knotts]

Mr. Newt is right.

We need to FReep our elected officials and DEMAND that these two schmucks be impeached.

They are so far afield in this decision that drastic action is justified and required.