Posted on 11/15/2005 6:12:27 AM PST by yoe
Conservative groups are rising to the defense of America's Christian heritage by fighting an atheist who wants to remove the motto "In God We Trust" from the nation's currency.
Michael Newdow told the ACLU of Oklahoma that he would file a lawsuit against the national motto this week on the grounds that it is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion and "excludes people who don't believe in God."
An earlier lawsuit filed by Newdow seeks to remove the phrase "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, and in that case, the liberal Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Newdow. His first lawsuit was dismissed on a technicality so Newdow sued again, and the case is pending.
"He wants to use the federal courts to make his atheism the official religion of America," the American Family Association (AFA) warned in an email message to supporters.
During the last session of Congress, Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) introduced a constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to use and recite the national motto and the Pledge of Allegiance.
The AFA is urging Americans to sign a petition urging Pickering to re-introduce his constitutional amendment in the current session of Congress. It would "send a message to the liberal judges of the 9th U.S. Circuit," AFA Founder and Chairman Donald E. Wildmon said.
The AFA is seeking a million signatures on its petition to Pickering.
'Save our courts'
Likewise, the Family Research Council is warning Americans that "activist judges have the power to make Mr. Newdow lethal."
The FRC is airing a new ad that shows someone sandblasting the word "God" from the national motto.
"Since America began, we have publicly honored God," the ad says. "But activist judges are erasing God from our public square." The ad urges people to join the FRC's campaign to "save our courts."
The FRC supports the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito, who has a record of refusing to apply liberal doctrine on church-state relations.
"Judges like Samuel Alito...recognize and apply the standards developed throughout our nation's history, which permit having chaplains open each session of Congress, the inclusion of "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, and inscriptions honoring God on public buildings," the FRC said.
The FRC said its ad underscores the stakes in the battle over America's heritage and stresses the need for "good judges who will follow the law."
Newdow told the ACLU of Oklahoma that the national motto on U.S. currency is a violation of the separation of church and state. He is offended because he is an atheist. He wants to use the Federal courts to make his atheism the official religion of America.
Newdow filed in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which recently ruled that judges, not parents, have the final say in what will be taught school children concerning sex education. These same liberal judges supported Newdow and ruled that the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional. That suit was dismissed due to a technicality so Newdow sued again.
The 9th U.S. Circuit is expected to agree with Newdow. The case will then go to the U.S. Supreme Court for final action.
Help us secure one million signatures on the petition below to stop Newdow. Remember that only one person—Madelyn Murray O'Hare—was able to get prayer in schools banned. We must not allow one person—Newdow—to get our national motto removed from our currency by our silence.
During the last session of Congress, Representative Chip Pickering introduced a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to use and recite the motto and the Pledge of Allegiance. Your petition will encourage Rep. Pickering to re-introduce his constitutional amendment in the present session of Congress and send a message to the liberal judges of the 9th U.S. Circuit.
Please act quickly, and forward this to friends and family.
(Click here to sign the petition now!)
Sincerely,
Don
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman American Family Association
P.S. Please forward this e-mail message to
This guy is trying awful hard to be one of the most despised people in this country.
Let the Libs try to defend this one.
I think the ACLU should stop accepting donations. Clearly taking money is perpetuating our gubmint's evil advocacy of G-d. They should also get out of the legal business, since the majority of laws are moral judgments based on - gasp! - the Bible. It's all a conspiracy, maaaan.
Count the Dummyrats who are outraged over this :-)
This guy has nothing more than mental problems. He needs a good therapist.
What really irks me is the money wasted, taxpayer money, to defend against this losers megalomania.
We here rightfully complain about pork spending, and the left belly aches about not enough money for social problems, yet this egomanaic has no qualms about wasting our tax dollars to satisfy his deranged ego.
I really do hate people like this!
> "He wants to use the federal courts to make his atheism the official religion of America," the American Family Association (AFA) warned in an email message to supporters.
This would be true *if* Newdow was trying to replace "In God We Trust" with "There Is No God." Simply removing the 1950's vintage "IGWT" is no more an endorsement of atheism as the lack of "IGWT" on, say, a Black and Decker hammer is an endorsement of atheism by B&D.
I have to say, I'm also an atheist. But I also think this guy needs to spend his time more productively.
I used to be this guy. I used to be angry that "In God We Trust" is on our currency and that "Under God" is in the Pledge.
But then I came to the realization that I'm an atheist in a country in which most of the people believe in a higher power. And, studying history, the faith of the founding fathers played a role in their conception of an ideal society (not that they dictated a state-run religion, but rather a society that embraced religious faith).
My point is that I wouldn't ask most of the country to tailor its beliefs to mine. I realize that I'm in the minority and that the majority prefers certain subtleties that reaffirm its faith. Which is fine with me.
I've known other atheists who play the victim role and say that they're discriminated against every day for not being religious. That's BS. In my life, it almost never comes up. Now, if my boss one day decided to fire me for being an atheist, you better believe I'll raise hell.
But having "In God We Trust" on our currency or "under God" in the Pledge doesn't take away my rights. It doesn't oppress me. Nor does it this guy. Just as he doesn't like the beliefs of others forced upon him, he shouldn't do the same to the rest of the country.
The libs have consistently failed on this very issue in other court challenges.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/nat_mott.htm
They think that by perisisting they can find a judge who has "evolved" to change the law which... has been long established "by precedent"...
Don't liberals bow down and worship the established law of "precedent"?
Two more like Newdow; why has no one sued them for frivolous law suits; why did these two twits ever move to Las Cruses in the first place if they are so offended by the city logo. Sue Them for the Lord’s sake!
You're too kind. He obviously has some deep resentment against traditional American society and is determined to punish the rest of us for being "normal". What Newdow really needs is a good pimp-slap, preferably by a U.S. Marine drill instructor, to shake some sense back into his addled head (if he ever had any).
The sad part is, I know many atheists who also despise Newdow for his over-the-top antics.
Yes, I was being kind. Your suggestion is what really was going through my mind. :-)
Didn't this guy start out as a digruntled-custody-battle father?
He must be the poster child of the ACLU like Sheehan to the anti-war crowd.
Maybe if he doesn't like our currency he should move to a country that doesn't have IGWT on it.
Amazingly enough if you travel the world and give people a choice of which currency they prefer, they will pick USD almost every time!
I'm not a Christian, and I hate this guy. He is nothing more than an egotistical narcissistic pos. He is not trying to benefit anyone but himself.
I'm not sure you can do that if you're an atheist.
It is interesting how the left is always accusing Christian conservatives of attempting to impose a theocracy, when the converse is true.
This a-hole really gets around -- he lives in Berkeley CA; WTF is he filing the lawsuit in Oklahoma for?
Thank you for your insight; especially your reasonableness concerning issues like these.
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