Posted on 04/22/2014 9:07:19 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A Washington, D.C.-based secular organization has filed a lawsuit against the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The American Humanist Association announced Monday that a New Jersey school district will be the latest entity sued over the two words.
David Niose, attorney for the American Humanist Association's Appignani Humanist Legal Center, said in a statement that he believes the pledge's words are religiously coercive.
"Public schools should not engage in an exercise that tells students that patriotism is tied to a belief in God," said Niose.
"Such a daily exercise portrays atheist and humanist children as second-class citizens, and certainly contributes to anti-atheist prejudices."
The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of an anonymous Monmouth County family that claims the words under God are discriminatory against non-theists.
Filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey Saturday, the lawsuit contends that with its under God phrase the pledge "unlawfully discriminates against plaintiffs on the basis of religion."
"Plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that said statute and the daily classroom exercise required by it violate the equal protection guarantees of the New Jersey Constitution, along with injunctive relief and nominal damages," continued the suit.
Placed in the pledge in 1954, the under God phrase has been the subject of many atheist lawsuits.
In the past, atheist activist Michael Newdow of California has, on multiple occasions, sued to remove the two words from the pledge, ultimately failing in his efforts.
The New Jersey lawsuit filed last week is not the only legal challenge the American Humanist Association is levelling against the pledge.
Last fall, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments in the case Doe v. Acton-Boxborough.
Brought before the Supreme Judicial Court, the case similarly argued that the under God phrase violates the equal protection of atheists under the law.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm that specializes in religious freedom cases, has defended the pledge from various lawsuits.
Regarding the Massachusetts case, Becket Fund Legal Counsel Diana Verm stated that AHA and its clients "have every right not to say the pledge if they don't want to, but they don't have the right to silence everyone else."
"Removing the words under God would deny the source of our rights and show hostility toward religion," said Verm.
"The pledge is appropriate in public schools because it is a statement of political philosophy, not theology."
If they don’t want a relationship with their Creator, they have consigned themselves to a second class life.
But we didn’t put them in that box. They chose that for themselves.
No one is taking away your right to be whatever the hell you are. Even you admit that so the suit is without merit.
In 1930’s Germany they made the Jews wear a Star of David on their clothes. Are we so very far from being required to wear a Christian Cross on ours? It would certainly make it easier for the Muslims and the Government (but I repeat myself) to cull us out for transport to the “Work Camps”.
Sadly, they have a point. We’re no longer “one nation, under God.” Instead, the US is one of the main focal points of evil in the world. And it’s because of people like them.
Atheists, and liberals, still don’t understand what “freedom or religion” means. They think, or want to interpret it as meaning “freedom from religion”.
Atheists do have freedom from religion, since they can ignore everything the see and hear that has anything to do with religion.
Religion is not being imposed on them, since they can continue being Godless. Atheists will be confronted with some sort of religion, whether in the form of text or speech or facial or bodily expressions, and that will never be able to be eradicated from the face of the planet. Atheists will have to learn to be tolerant and respectful of other people’s decisions, just like religious people are tolerant and respectful of the right of atheists to be “free of religion”.
Will this same group sue to get the prayer rugs removed from every government building in the world?
1st sentence should read:
Atheists, and liberals, still don’t understand what “freedom OF religion” means.
Hypocrite sodomitic rulers of our consciousness.
“But we didn’t put them in that box. They chose that for themselves.”
Yep, and they want to choose it for us also and are trying to use the court systems to do it. Scary ain’t it?
Anytime you want to p.o. an athiest just pull out a U.S. coin and point out “In God We Trust” is minted on it......... Drives ‘em nuts. lol
“Anonymous”? What happened to the right to face your accuser?
The Constitution guarantees that we’re not subject to the tyranny or whims of a minority. They’re not upset that secular humanism is taught as the religion of government schools. They worship the state and the things of man.
It just happens to be their pet that’s being peeved.
Because government schools are in such great financial shape that wasting time and money to prevent such a horrific harm to young minds is worth it.
They’re goofs, dangerous, dangerous goofs.
Public schools should not engage in an exercise that tells students that patriotism is tied to a belief in God,” said Niose
Really?
When men take up arms to defend freedom and America they do not say “Boy am I glad I don’t believe in God as I go to give my life in defense of others”
Never heard anyone say that when I served........
Here is an idea.
Leave us alone.
Leave America alone.
Leave our children alone.
You do not want to believe in anything that is okay, no one is forcing you. That is until the muslims take over. Then all bets are off!
Although there is always a price to pay to stand up to a group of bullies (including homosexual bullies, negro and other "minority" bullies, abortion enthusiast bullies as well as these athiest bullies), the effort to do so doesn't get easier after decent people give in to their demands. It's long-past time to fight ... and fight hard!
We need loser pays laws to end these frivolous lawsuits. It’s the courtroom judges that are letting these move forward.
When the liberals see the heads of their homo buddies roll past their feet they will realize they had absolutely nothing to complain about before sharia law was invoked...
The country already went down this road, with some dweeb from California.
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