Americans Speak Out as Supreme Court Considers Censoring Pledge

[ELVIS]

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/3/24/100537.shtml)


As the Supreme Court today considers whether to censor the phrase "under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance, the American people have taken a firm stand that should surprise no one.

A new poll by the Associated Press shows that nearly 90 percent of Americans want to keep the reference. Apparently they don’t believe the First Amendment’s requirement that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” means the feds should declare war on all religious expression.

The court is hearing arguments today from California atheist Michael Newdow, who initially claimed "protection” of his 9-year-old daughter as his motive for opposing recitation of the pledge in government schools. After the girl and her mother revealed they supported the pledge, he admitted exploiting the child as an excuse to sue away.

The notorious 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in (naturally) San Francisco, by far the most overturned in the nation, gave Newdow his initial judicial victory.

The girl’s mother, Sandra Banning, a born-again Christian, said today on ABC’s "Good Morning America,” "I object to his inclusion of our daughter” in the case. She worries that her daughter will be "the child who is remembered as the little girl who changed the Pledge of Allegiance.”

Written in 1892 and adopted by Congress as a patriotic tribute in 1942, the pledge did not originally include "under God.” Congress inserted the phrase in 1954 during the Cold War.

Newdow has admitted he also wants to censor the national motto, "In God We Trust,” from U.S. currency. "It’s a cool thing to do. Everyone should try it,” he said in June 2002.



:elvis:

[BigBadBrian]

In God We Trust.

[steve]

People are entitled to feel however they want to about this issue - but just because something is popular doesn't make it right, or in agreeance with the Constitution of the United States.

The words "under God" were added at a time of anti-communist ferver and McCarthyism - not exactly a firm foundation to change the pledge as it had been since 1892. If people are arguing on the basis of historical context and the elimination of history - than this is not the best example.

On that note...by the logic of "history" - which to me is the strongest and only argument to be made - proposing "in God We Trust" be taken off dollar bills presents a more difficult task. In such a case, the "In God We Trust" is part of a historical document - the dollar bill - a mere paper relic of our past and a symbol within itself - something that doesn't present the problem of verbal indocrination into a religion - like the additional words to the pledge do.

[Jesus Christ]

Neither Dad nor Myself require you to say a daily pledge, nor do we ask any government to do so in Our Names.

For ye are to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. And verily, My Father and I hath no flag.

[knuckleboner]

the congress was stupid to put "under God" into the pledge. simple. there was no good reason to change it at that point in time.

however, i hardly see it as an "establishment of religion."

the federal government requires no one to say it.

and the school kids do not have to participate in the pledge if they don't want to.

the supreme court SHOULD overturn the 9th circuit. and i expecpt it'll do so (again...)

[ELVIS]

It won't even see the light of day...

[knuckleboner]

uh...big E, the 9th circuit court of appeals ruled that the inclusion of "under God" in the pledge was unconstitutional.

if the U.S. supreme court reaffirms that decision it becomes the law of the land. they won't, mind you. but the case has definitely seen some light. even if it was just the sunshine the idiots on the 9th circuit have been blowing up each others' assess...

[ELVIS]

I hear you..

I'm watching this...

[Jesus Christ]

I'm watching everything, My son. But I really wish they would leave My name and My Dad's out of it. :mad:

[ELVIS]

Shaddup!!!

[Viking]

Michael Newdow wil never be safe as long as there's the possibility that he may one day walk down the same street as me.......:anger: :elvis:

[Pink Spider]

There's that good Christian love again.

Only fascist countries make little children pledge allegiance to the state. The whole thing should be banned.

[Dr. Love]

You rebel. ;)

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by Pink Spider
There's that good Christian love again.

Only fascist countries make little children pledge allegiance to the state. The whole thing should be banned.

You're free to leave anytime, you Socialist twat! :bananna:

[ELVIS]

Take FORD with you...

[Pink Spider]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
You're free to leave anytime, you Socialist twat! :bananna:

Well, that's the corporate loving dumbass solution to everything. Tell someone to leave if you don't like how things are going.

Why would I leave and let morons like you overrun the place? No chance.

[steve]

Originally posted by Pink Spider
There's that good Christian love again.

Only fascist countries make little children pledge allegiance to the state. The whole thing should be banned.

Right the fuck on!

On a side note, the only people that are EVER made to say the pledge in an organized setting are school children - the ones with the most impressionable minds. It's pretty sick if you ask me.

Shit reminds me of "Starship Troopers" (the 60s book, not the movie).

Slowly but surely, this country is moving away from religion (dogmatic) as a way thought and towards teaching our children to actually think. We need a giant friggin cattle prod though to move it along, though, because it's not moving fast enough.

[Viking]

Leftists would be a little more circumspect about critiquing American 'dogma' if they examined their own moral baseline first. :rolleyes:

[John Ashcroft]

And which party came up with "Rock the Vote"???

[Rubnose]

I think that the word "Flag" should be left out. As well as "The Republic for which it stands". As a flag is a inanimate object and the government is more or less forcing me to praise it as if it were a god. Pledging my alliegience to it is a separation of church and state issue. And saying that we are one nation when we are divided among 50 states and countless counties and towns is just going too far.

In fact the whole pledge nonsence should be thrown out and we should all have the right to stand in front of a mirror and declare our individual independence from ourselves. These are the 200 year old liberties that unite a nation.

"In Big Bang We Trust."
.

"May the theory of evolution console you in your time of sorrow."
.
"Congratulations on your recent abortion."
.
"Let's celebrate your custody battle."
.
"Hey Bob, before I teach my son to respect and love woman and start a loving family can you show him what it's like to accept a rod up the ass seeing as how happy you are in that lifestyle."
.
" I thought I wanted my daughter to be healthy and fit but boy am I mistaken. Can ya fill her in on that big is beautiful rhetoric again before she listens to my dumb ass reasoning."
.
"It's time you were told the truch children. There is no Jesus. He is a fantasy fairy tale figure who brings chocolate bunnies and stuffs stockings to all good children back in the olden days before we became smart. All our praise goes to the magical glowing idiot box on the alter in the living room. A touch of the clicker and all your fanasies and prayers come to life. Perticularly the pay-per-view ones."
.
"Those people who just smashed planes into those buildings and instantly killed hundreds of innocent people have a right to express themselves no matter who suffers the consequences. We should respect their decision to express their views and support their manner of doing so. In fact we should have a parade in their honor. How dare we question their political orientation."


Welcome to America. A place that used to share a value system. Gone forever are the days. Let the nonsence begin. (Oops too late.)

Wow! And for some reason I still live people. Go figure.

[Cathedral]

If God is in your heart and you live a life that is pleasing to him then the things that humans do like changing lyrics, or printing things on money have little impact.

God created ALL things and therefore owns it all...He doesn't need his name on it to prove it.
At first, this troubled me, but in the grand scheme of life, it doesn't matter...what matters is, Are you ready to meet your maker?

Live in this world, not of this world. when death comes, and it will, what the ink says on a piece of paper, or a song proclaims that isn't a song of worship will not get you closer to God.
You must know Jesus Christ as the Savior and turn all things unto him.

If you have the armor of God.....Put it on.

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by steve

On a side note, the only people that are EVER made to say the pledge in an organized setting are school children - the ones with the most impressionable minds. It's pretty sick if you ask me.



Steve, you ignorant twit. I'll respond to your post since Pink Spider has the intelligence of a spider monkey. The only thing she would have schoolchildren pledge allegiance to is the Communist Manifesto.

Where are schoolchildren FORCED to say the Pledge of Allegiance? Hmmm? Let's see the proof. :gulp:

[knuckleboner]

Originally posted by Rubnose
I think that the word "Flag" should be left out. As well as "The Republic for which it stands". As a flag is a inanimate object and the government is more or less forcing me to praise it as if it were a god. Pledging my alliegience to it is a separation of church and state issue. And saying that we are one nation when we are divided among 50 states and countless counties and towns is just going too far.

In fact the whole pledge nonsence should be thrown out and we should all have the right to stand in front of a mirror and declare our individual independence from ourselves. These are the 200 year old liberties that unite a nation.

"In Big Bang We Trust."
.

"May the theory of evolution console you in your time of sorrow."
.
"Congratulations on your recent abortion."
.
"Let's celebrate your custody battle."
.
"Hey Bob, before I teach my son to respect and love woman and start a loving family can you show him what it's like to accept a rod up the ass seeing as how happy you are in that lifestyle."
.
" I thought I wanted my daughter to be healthy and fit but boy am I mistaken. Can ya fill her in on that big is beautiful rhetoric again before she listens to my dumb ass reasoning."
.
"It's time you were told the truch children. There is no Jesus. He is a fantasy fairy tale figure who brings chocolate bunnies and stuffs stockings to all good children back in the olden days before we became smart. All our praise goes to the magical glowing idiot box on the alter in the living room. A touch of the clicker and all your fanasies and prayers come to life. Perticularly the pay-per-view ones."
.
"Those people who just smashed planes into those buildings and instantly killed hundreds of innocent people have a right to express themselves no matter who suffers the consequences. We should respect their decision to express their views and support their manner of doing so. In fact we should have a parade in their honor. How dare we question their political orientation."


Welcome to America. A place that used to share a value system. Gone forever are the days. Let the nonsence begin. (Oops too late.)

Wow! And for some reason I still live people. Go figure.


dude, the ORIGINAL pledge didn't have the words, "under God," in it. in fact, it was around for 64 years before congress threw them in there. in fact...the pledge has STILL existed a longer time WITHOUT the words, "under God," than with them.

mind you, i think the court ruling that including "under God" is constitutional is incorrect and will be properly overturned.

however, i also think the congress was stupid for altering the pledge. were we any less moral in 1953? is that what the congress was saying? that we needed to add the 2 words, "under God" in order to be moral in 1954?

mind you, if that's what led to the supreme court ruling that year that race-based segregation was unconstitutional, then maybe the congress was right after all...

[John Ashcroft]

We are "One Nation, Under God".

Except for the liberals, naturally. God has no use for them. ;)

[ELVIS]

Amen...

[Jesus Christ]

Originally posted by John Ashcroft

Except for the liberals, naturally. God has no use for them. ;)

God loveth all of His children, as do I. Not that some of you don't maketh it difficult at times :mad:

[John Ashcroft]

Hey Jesus, turn that frown :mad: upside-down. :)

[knuckleboner]

Originally posted by John Ashcroft
We are "One Nation, Under God".

Except for the liberals, naturally. God has no use for them. ;)

well...my grandparents none of who were liberal, were just, "one nation," during their school years.

but they all still managed to live pretty good lives...

[Jesus Christ]

Originally posted by John Ashcroft
Hey Jesus, turn that frown :mad: upside-down. :)

I will if you stop implying that My Father and I are Republicans :)

[John Ashcroft]

Originally posted by knuckleboner
well...my grandparents none of who were liberal, were just, "one nation," during their school years.

but they all still managed to live pretty good lives...

Not as good as if they lived in "One Nation under God". ;)

[Pink Spider]

Your faith must be weak if you wish to legally force it onto others.

Yes, let's get the young before they can think for themselves. That's how it always is with religion. Indoctrinate them before they have a chance to see the real world around them and how it works.

If you can't be moral without religion, then that's a pity for you. From what I've seen the highly religious are the ones most in love with war and death. There are some exceptions, but not many.
The belief in preservation for all people means peace. Religion means war, because if you don't fear death that means you're disposable. Sounds like a sad existence.

[John Ashcroft]

What do you think the liberals who run the American public school system are doing? Indoctrination is essential for Communism to exist.

[Pink Spider]

Who's a Communist, Mr. McCarthy?

I suppose all schools should be closed and privatized according to your sick corporatist world view. Coca Cola should replace milk and only the wealthy should be able to afford to go. Am I right?

[Jesus Christ]

And verily, should thy schools teach My name, but NOT My teachings? :mad:

[ELVIS]

Shaddup!

[Jesus Christ]

Gregory, do not invoke My wrath! :mad:

[knuckleboner]

Originally posted by John Ashcroft
Not as good as if they lived in "One Nation under God". ;)

of course not. doesn't everybody hope that their kids lead better lives than they did? :D