Pledge of Allegiance, `In God We Trust' cases to be heard in S.F.

AP via SFGate ^ | 12/4/7 | KIM CURTIS, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

San Francisco (AP) -- An atheist seeking to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance and U.S. currency is taking his arguments back to a federal appeals court.

Michael Newdow, a Sacramento doctor and lawyer, sued the Elk Grove Unified School District in 2000 for forcing public school children to recite the pledge, saying it was unconstitutional.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Newdow's favor in 2002, but two years later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Newdow lacked standing to sue because he didn't have custody of the daughter on whose behalf he brought the case. He immediately filed a second lawsuit on behalf of three unidentified parents and their children.

In 2005, a federal judge in Sacramento found in favor of Newdow, ruling the pledge was unconstitutional because its reference to "one nation under God" violates children's rights to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God." The judge said he was following the precedent set by the 9th Circuit Court's ruling in Newdow's first case.

A three-judge panel from that court was to hear arguments in the case on Tuesday. The same panel also was to hear arguments in Newdow's case against the national motto, "In God We Trust."

[SmithL]

Nothing will be resolved here.

[highlander_UW]

Why don’t they just send it to the Supreme Court? After all, the 9th is going to decide wrong (no matter what they determine) and they are going to be overturned by the Supreme. It’s a well established pattern...why not cut to the chase?

[MaestroLC]

Michael Newdow

I'm so sick of this guy. He has hate in his heart, and wants to spread his misery to all Americans. He's disgraceful.

[Awestruck]

This guy just can’t let go of his 15 minutes.. liberals have always reminded me of small children with their attention seeking antics.

[Niteranger68]

I'm so sick of this guy. He has hate in his heart, and wants to spread his misery to all Americans. He's disgraceful.

Same here. I'm afraid that if I ever see him in public, I will go very un-Christian upside his head.

[Neoliberalnot]

Well, San Fransicko is a very fair-minded and tolerant venue to decide this case. Oh, sorry, I was thinking of Jacko getting on with the young boys in his life.

[ANGGAPO]

I’m so sick of this guy. He has hate in his heart, and wants to spread his misery to all Americans. He’s disgraceful.

He can’t help it, it’s the water in California. Has to be since they are all that way.

[xzins]

In God we Trust is on our money and “under God” in our pledge as a reminder that we are endowed by God with our rights. They don’t come to us from the state.

Newdow’s complaint also has no merit because his complaint is essentially that he is dissatisfied with the cultural norms that entail in the culture in which he lives.
There is no one forcing him to change his mind. Obviously, he hasn’t.

Atheism is a doctrine that offers zero hope.

[azhenfud]

"..the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Newdow lacked standing to sue because he didn't have custody of the daughter on whose behalf he brought the case. He immediately filed a second lawsuit on behalf of three unidentified parents and their children."

Newdow apparently has an incessant case of idiocracies if he can't comprehend a basic similarity of his and his imaginary plaintiffs.

The guy must have a few synapse short circuits and my tag says it all.

[azhenfud]

Can Newdow be billed for the court’s time?

[Gay State Conservative]

When I was a kid we were taught in (Catholic) Sunday School that when we were called upon to recite the Protestant version of the Lord's Prayer in school all we had to do was refrain from reciting the "Protestant" part...."for thine is the Kingdom...."

No problem....no fuss....no lawsuits...no disrespect to the Protestants...just don't recite that part.Problem solved.

So if you insist that you kid is to become an atheist just tell him/her not to recite "under God".

[SoldierDad]

Wait a minute now. I live in California and I can’t stomach this A-hole any more than you. If his behavior is due to water, it must be whatever water people like him buy and not simply Cali water in general. FYI, most of the counties in the state of CA are by-and-large conservative. Unfortunatley, the metro areas (which are populated by out-of-staters) controls the politics of this state.

[massgopguy]

A Doctor and a Lawyer? Why doesn’t he just say he’s Gay? That seems to be the real qualification these days.

[Jacquerie]

In 2005, a federal judge in Sacramento found in favor of Newdow, ruling the pledge was unconstitutional because its reference to "one nation under God" violates children's rights to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God."

I must have been asleep when this amendment was added to the Constitution. The 60 year slide to Judicial tyranny continues.

[SoldierDad]

He appears to be the epitome of the overachiever who can’t achieve anything.

[Son Of The Godfather]

Exactly... I am also in California, and would gladly lose my boot in this idiot’s behind... All done Under God, of course. :)

[k omalley]

Newdow obviously has way too much time on his hands.

[SmithL]

Newdow obviously has way too much time on his hands.

Wait `til he meets eternity.

[redpoll]

Paging Mr. Gramsci. Paging Mr. Antonio Gramsci. Please pick up the red courtesy telephone to talk to your fellow travelers about their long march through the institutions. Paging Mr. Gramsci.

[phillyfanatic]

The 9th Circuit, the most reversed in history, should have been split into two different districts as a foundation called for.They are filled with lefty nutcases. They will outlaw God, Santa, the Const. if they get a chance. That is how inane they really are.