Posted on 12/28/2009 11:38:49 AM PST by Patriot62
The Issaquah School Board may consider eliminating the Pledge of Allegiance at its regular business meetings.
At their Dec. 9 meeting, school board members were asked to eliminate the pledge from their meetings by parent Matthew Barry.
“The words ‘under God’ in the pledge are offensive to your atheist residents in this school district,” Barry said at the meeting. “A study from last year, The American Religious Identification Survey, indicates that 15 percent of Americans aren’t religious. In Washington, which is one of the most nonreligious states, 25 percent aren’t religious. So, I think it is safe to assume there are atheist taxpayers, parents, students and maybe even a few teachers in this school district.”
School board members couldn’t take action or discuss the item since it wasn’t on their regular meeting agenda, but they said they would take the item under consideration for a future agenda topic.
“It is inappropriate for the school board to ask atheists to stand and proclaim they are ‘under God,’” said Barry, a self-proclaimed atheist. “Atheists don’t believe in gods, so they certainly don’t think they or the nation are under a god.”
Barry said other residents with different religious beliefs might also find the pledge offensive.
“If the school board were asking Jews, Hindus and other non-Christians to stand and proclaim that Jesus Christ is the messiah, I’m pretty sure we’d all agree that’s inappropriate,” he said.
“It’s none of the government’s business what our private religious beliefs are, if any, and certainly none of the government’s business to ask us to stand and publicly proclaim what those beliefs are,” he added. “Most would agree it’s even worse if the government asks someone to stand and say something that contradicts their belief system.”
“If I understand his logic correctly, simply because something is offensive and unnecessary, it should be removed,” said Jared Spataro, a parent and Boy Scout Leader whose Scouts presented the colors that night. “I’m very proud to see us stand up and very proud to see my Scouts lead us in the pledge tonight and talk about God.
“We don’t necessarily say that everyone needs to believe in the same God, I think he referenced Jews and Hindus and others, but we do teach our boys, especially in the Scout program, that belief in a higher authority is important as an aspect of our community, and as an aspect of who we become in the community and how we contribute there.”
Barry said he wouldn’t have a problem with board members asking meeting participants to cite the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance, which didn’t include the words “under God” and was recited from 1892-1954. The words “under God” were added in 1954, Barry said.
Right now, schools within the state are required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and hold flag salute exercises at the beginning of each school day under the state’s revised code No. 28A.230.140.
However, the law recognizes that students can’t be forced to participate: “Students not reciting the pledge shall maintain a respectful silence.”
School districts aren’t required to recite the pledge for school board meetings. In fact, the Lake Washington School District doesn’t require the pledge at board meetings, Barry said.
Since the pledge is irrelevant to the board’s work and is offensive, even if it is voluntary, it should be eliminated from the board meetings, he added.
“I understand many things we do are offensive to people,” Spataro added. “But just because a small group of people, or even a large group of people, are offended it doesn’t mean they are right.”
Why are they offensive?? The words are meaningless to an atheist. It’s your problem.
Offend 90% so the 10% aren’t. Cause that’s how libs work.
Trying..... not ...... go ...... postal .........
I DEMAND that the atheist be removed.
Go to hell, atheist. When the majority begins to rule you’ll just have to keep your mouth shut!
And atheism is offensive to american christians or jews!
Time to FIGHT BACK the secular ,atheist,bigotry(which is paving the way to iSSlamism)
Letter this character wrote to the Seattle Weekly
back in 2000..
Keeping tabs on Carlson
Have you noticed how Republican gubernatorial candidate John Carlson never mentions his days at KVI radio [see “Carlson’s head trip,” 10/19]? Perhaps he is embarrassed by what he said when he wasn’t running for office. Anyone who listened to Carlson’s talk show knows that his current slick demeanor masks a radical agenda. I listened to Carlson and other hosts on KVI because it’s important to keep tabs on our nation’s right-wing extremists. KVI is home to Rush Limbaugh, the one who uses “FemiNazi” to describe any woman who doesn’t stay home barefoot and pregnant. Limbaugh endorsed Carlson for governor, which is hardly surprising considering that Carlson is almost as far right as the truly scary Ellen Craswell.
Carlson’s diatribes against liberals, environmentalists, homosexuals, and secular Americans were standard fare for hate radio. But it’s frightening to think that someone who spews disdain for entire segments of our society might gain the reins in Olympia. Gary Locke doesn’t hate, and he doesn’t polarize. Locke works for all citizens in this state, not just those of his own political party. Carlson has conveniently reinvented himself just in time for the election, but we all need to look beyond his slick talk. Concentrate on what he says, not on how he says it.
MATTHEW J. BARRY
ISSAQUAH
Ping!
Considering that government is the religion of the left, and it’s meddlesome bureaucracy the equivalent of clergy, there may be some justification for banning public education while they’re at it. Overbearing pukes.
So if 25 percent are not religious that means 75 percent are - guess their rights don’t count. 75 percent is a fairly high number. If one of the least religious states still has 75 percent -
“The words ‘under God’ in the pledge are offensive to your atheist residents in this school district,”
If those words are offensive to atheists, they need to toughen up. Freedom of religion isn’t the same as freedom from religion. No one is asking you to accept God, so shut up and hold onto your beliefs.
Or, make it easy on everyone and gtfo.
“It is inappropriate for the school board to ask atheists to stand and proclaim they are ‘under God,’” said Barry, a self-proclaimed atheist
Well then.....Just sit down and shut up and no one will get hurt!
The most astounding thing about the leftist atheist is that they care about other peoples religion. Why would a reference to God offend them. This is after all a country that implicitly accepts the idea of a deity. It is by the endowment of OUR GREATOR, to the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We can not have these right removed by the government BECAUSE they flow from the creator (GOD).
A nation or a person “Under God” is a peaceful nation or person. It is those who believe they are equal or above God you need to watch out for.
The Brookline MA School Board wanted to remove the Pledge as well. But their reason was; “we aren’t raising little Americans”.
... Rush Limbaugh, the one who uses “FemiNazi” to describe any woman who doesn’t stay home barefoot and pregnant.
Any person who would make such a demonstrably false and hostile statement -- a deliberately misleading statement cleary intended to foment anger -- should be dismissed out of hand as a contributor to any public forum.
I find it humerous that militant atheists hate something so much that, according to them, doesn’t exist.
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