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Posted on 10/07/2001 8:52:51 PM PDT by truther

ACLU: God Bless America Sign 'Hurtful... Divisive'

In a protest that has many wondering if the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has finally become mentally unhinged the ultra-liberal group has attacked a sign at a school asking that God Bless America, saying it is not only unconstitutional but "a hurtful divisive message" bound to do grievous harm to poor defenseless schoolchildren.

The sign the ACLU finds so offensive is hanging from a marquee in front of the Breen Elementary school, in Rocklin, near Sacramento, California, and to the shock and dismay of the ACLU school officials swear it is going to remain in place,

And most local residents agree. According to the Sacramento Bee some 250 people, "many clad in red, white and blue, gathered to support the message," placed on the marquee after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Incredibly, according to the ACLU the words, made famous by the late Kate Smith in the song of the same name, and chorused all across America in the wake of the September 11 outrage, somehow broadcast "a hurtful, divisive message."

In a letter to the school the ACLU says the message is a "clear violation of the California and United States constitutions, as well as the California Education Code."

The letter from one Margaret Crosby, staff counsel for the ACLU of Northern California, impudently demands that the sign " ...must be replaced immediately."

But Phillip Trujillo, an attorney for the Rocklin Unified School District, insists the words "God Bless America" don't violate any laws on the separation of church and state.

"It's simply not a religious expression," he told the Bee. "It's instead a patriotic expression."

In a letter to the ACLU he described their argument that the words God Bless America represent a "hurtful, divisive message," as simply "absurd."

"I would like to think that the ACLU would not attempt to preclude or inhibit the free expression of patriotism and goodwill at a time when it is most appropriate, helpful or even healing," he said.

Mark Forbes, the president of the district's board of trustees, was more blunt, telling the Bee he was "disgusted" by the ACLU request.

"I would like someone to explain how 'God Bless America' hurts anyone," a bewildered Mr. Forbes said.

ACLU attorney Crosby told the Bee that "this is a time when we need to promote unity among Americans of all faiths. Many schools are flying flags to instill a sense of unity in a time of trouble."

"By displaying a religious message, the Breen Elementary School is dividing its young students along religious lines," Crosby added.

"School officials are hurting and isolating their schoolchildren of minority faiths when they should be supporting them and the values of pluralism and tolerance." Displaying such a message is not only unconstitutional "but implies only students who share the faith are truly patriotic," she continued.

Continuing their excursion into the outer limits of leftist arrogance the ACLU's Stella Richardson, media relations director for the ACLU of Northern California, said, "It is entirely unprecedented" for a school not to take down a message such as Breen displays."

Terry Thornton, Breen Elementary principal, told the Bee the words on the school marquee reflect a grass-roots effort following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and will remain where they are.

"We are planning on keeping up our message," Thornton said.

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