[DrMartinVonNostrand]

Religious right, left or atheist, the voluntary use of the word God is a self evident right I would think. What philosophy is it that you adhere to than bans free speech in the public square?

That is a strawman argument. I never said a thing about "involuntary" invocation in the "public square".

Here I thought we were discussing Governmental endorsement of a narrow religious set, as on Government buildings, on federal currency, and as shoved into the Pledge by Congress in 1954.

[jwalsh07]

Here I thought we were discussing Governmental endorsement of a narrow religious set, as on Government buildings, on federal currency, and as shoved into the Pledge by Congress in 1954.

Well let's start with the Pledge. Since 1948, the coerced recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance has been Constitutionally forbidden.

Therefore, any recitation of the Pledge is voluntary.

Do you support the Ninth Circuits recent ruling, since withdrawn, ordering public schools to cease and desist from the recitation of the Pledge with the words "under God" included?

[mrsmith]

James Madison said debating the First Amendment: "he apprehended the meaning of the words to be, that Congress should not establish a religion, and enforce the legal observation of it by law, nor compel men to worship God in any manner contrary to their conscience."

As another great American said: "stare decisis may bind courts as to matters of law, but it cannot bind them as to matters of history. "

My free advice: stick to discussing Arnold and the race, merely as a Californian your opinion on that has some inherent value.