Posted on 01/16/2005 11:53:06 AM PST by PDR
Pledge Dad sues to ban ministers at oath
Published 1/14/2005 2:07 PM
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Atheist Michael Newdow wants a U.S. district judge to ban prayers by clergy at the president's inauguration ceremony, the Washington Post said Friday.
Newdow, a California doctor and lawyer who sued to have the words "under God" stricken from the Pledge of Allegiance in 2003, told the court that prayers offered by two Protestant ministers during the Jan. 20 ceremony when the president takes his oath of office would violate his constitutional rights.
"This is like the Super Bowl, the Olympics. It's a civic ceremony like no other," Newdow told U.S. District Judge John D. Bates. "The president will swear to uphold the Constitution and then violate the Constitution so heinously by endorsing these religious beliefs."
Attorneys for the Justice Department and Presidential Inauguration Committee said neither Newdow nor anyone else will be substantially harmed by a short prayer that mentions God or an all-powerful being. They also argued that some form of prayer has been part of every presidential inauguration since the 1937 inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
This guy is pitiful. Seriously.
Newdow, a radical Demo-islamist; hates christians.
Pushing the envelope!
Unless he is disproportionately well endowed and double jointed he probably couldnt do what I would encourage him to try. But he would probably like it.
Yep- I remember him well from his first go-round with the Court. So now he goes after the Inauguration...better he spend his money on some serious therapy, eh? :)
Better he spend "his" money to pay for the courts time, GW's Lawyer, etc . Newdows Reindeer games are just that....he wants to play make him pay.
"But he would probably like it."
From what we have already read, it is more likely that he would disappoint himself, just like he did his girl friend.
and they ask why we need tort reform
1-20 america wins again
'Scuse me. Mr. Newdow? Um. To what, or whom exactly would the President be swearing, if not to God?
Who pays for the time the courts are wasting listening to this a$$hole?
I'm glad there was some laughter. Between this guy and Barry Lynn, I don't know which has the sourest demeanor.
They both need to get a life.
What might be needed in this case is a good-old-fashioned "come-to-jesus" meeting.......
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