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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.”
GOD Bless America
So simple!
Reply: "Mr. Barry, how many atheists are there in the district? How many of them voted in the last election?"
Brings to mind the Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch of the East/West?
“look what you have done... I’m melting,, AAAHHHH”
Athiests alway bring a smile to my face..
As fine an assemblege of Phony Baloney Plastic Fantastic A$$Clowns of the Highest Order can only be found in the House or Senate of the United States. Well, upon reflection I guess the Current Executive and Judicial give them a pretty good run for their money but that’s about it. LOL
W
"Atheist residents in my school district are offensive to me," KarinG1 said to no one in particular.
GOOD GOD
Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, the Christian equivalent of the Taliban, have blamed Americans—Americans!—for the terrorist attacks. Based on their twisted fundamentalist faith, these preachers believe their god is angry at Americans. Specifically, and conveniently, he’s angry at everyone that Falwell and Robertson hate: pro-choice Americans, feminists, homosexuals, and those who support the separation of church and state. The ACLU, NOW, People for the American Way, NARAL, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State are all to blame.
What is their god’s solution? Murder 5,000 innocent people. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. These fundamentalists believe that their god drowned most of the planet in a flood and ordered genocide and infanticide throughout the Old Testament. This is a barbaric belief system. And it is a dangerous belief system. Falwell and Robertson have essentially declared open season on large segments of the American population. If they believe it was justified for their god to punish us, then their followers will likely decide to continue the attacks.
Christian fundamentalists have already bombed abortion clinics and murdered doctors. We need to protect ourselves not just from Islamic fundamentalists, but from all religious extremists.
Matthew J. Barry
Issaquah
BINGO!
With the claim that some 15% to 25% MAY be offended, when does the other 85% to 75% stand up and claim how offended we are at these assaults on our values?
The constitution provides for freedom OF religion, not FROM religion.
a 3 letter word offends him , aw poor him, I’ll take all the money he has ten seeing as he is offended by that word.
What he won’t be offended looking at his money
I’m an atheist myself and have never been offended by “under god” being in the pledge or “in god we trust” on the money. I proudly say the whole pledge at every cub scout meeting we have.
People like Mr Barry have nothing but disdain for those who freely practice their own religion. He knows full well that the constitution’s first ammendment does not mean that the USA does not prohibit religion in government. His ilk are the same bunch that if given the chance, would create stiff tyrannical rules which would only take away our freedom.
No one is required to use the phrase “under God”, and I support their right to not say it. I say it because I am a Christian and believe that this nation wouldn’t be this nation without Him. My allegiance is to Him first, and I am able to pledge allegiance to a nation as long as it recognizes Him as the Author of Liberty and the One Who gave us all of our natural rights.
The concept of tolerance seems to have been smothered by various agendas, but that’s how this is all supposed to work in a melting-pot nation.
My guess is that religious holidays like Good Friday, Thanksgiving and Christmas are also offensive to non-Christians. Mark my words - in time, they will be abolished under the creed of separation of church and state.
The atheists should have all their money taken away for their own good, since it has “In God we trust” emblazoned on it.
Anybody know what the upshot to this was? Are they eliminating the pledge or not?
Say WA? Evergreen State ping
Quick link: WA State Board
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.
Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.
Why doesn’t the clown just not say those two words which were added in the 1950s ? That’s easy enough. He can say it right along with everybody, leave out the two words, and nobody’s hurt.
But nooooo, he’s got to stop others from using them so his widdle feelings won’t be hurt.
Lunacy !
True. If the 15% truly are atheists, they won't care about the words "under God," because those words don't mean anything to them.
You have FReepmail.
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