Texas family sues over "under God" reference in pledge - sues congress, Bush, more

ktrk ^

[chance33_98]

Texas family sues over "under God" reference in pledge

By The Associated Press

(9/17/03 - ABILENE, TX) — An Abilene family is fighting against the Pledge of Allegiance over the phrase "under God."

In February, an 11-year-old girl refused to say the pledge with the phrase in class.

A substitute teacher told the girl she'd no right to live in America.

The girl's father decided to file a lawsuit in Taylor County against the current Abilene school superintendent, the school district, the state of Texas, the US Congress and President Bush.

The suit seeks no monetary damages, but does seek removing "in God we trust" from money, to rewrite the Pledge of Allegiance without the phrase "under God" and to forbid teaching theology in public schools.

The Abilene school district says they're simply following the law. The district hasn't been served with papers and a court date hasn't been set yet.

Senate Bill 83 went into effect on September 1 and mandates that public schools have the pledge to the United States and Texas flags and a moment of silence.

[tallhappy]

Sue for what?

[Puppage]

An Abilene family is fighting against the Pledge of Allegiance over the phrase "under God."

Don't forget to give all your money away, what with "In God We Trust" printed on it.

[Wolfie]

Substitute teacher, or Constitutional scholar? You make the call!

[KellyAdmirer]

Pretty expensive way to get back for a casual snub to one's daughter. Guy must have money to burn.

[gore_sux]

Don't forget, we will also have to declare the U.S. Constitution unconstitutional:

Article. VII.

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same. done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,

[Bikers4Bush]

Texas family my butt. I want to know what their last name is.

[Texagirl4W]

Have you seen this? How pathetic. This father should be admonishing his daughter to be a good citizen instead of trashing the government. Wonder what rock he slid out from under.

[MineralMan]

"In February, an 11-year-old girl refused to say the pledge with the phrase in class.

A substitute teacher told the girl she'd no right to live in America. "

Wrong action on the teacher's part. Nobody is required to say the Pledge of Allegiance in the USA. That was decided back in 1948, based on a suit filed by the Jehovah's Witnesses, who object to taking all oaths, and who can point to Jesus' own words on the matter.

The "under God" phrase of the Pledge was added in 1954. I learned it the old way in 1950 while in Kindergarten and, as an atheist, have never included that phrase in my thousands of repetitions of the Pledge.

If this teacher said this in class, in public, then he/she should be dismissed. She is saying something that is simply not true.

Anyone may say the Pledge, with or without the "under God" phrase, and nobody may be required to say the Pledge at all if they object to oaths.

This sort of knee-jerk patriotism is just wrong. I defy anyone to tell me to my face that I am not a patriot, and I have never once said the Pledge using the "under God" phrase. Why? Because that would be a false oath for me. I do not swear any oaths which contain references to any deity, because I believe in no deities. As I have always done, I _affirm_ my oaths. I did that when I enlisted in the USAF in 1965, and I've done it everytime I've ever appeared as a witness or juror in court.

Nobody may insist that any US Citizen swear any oath on any deity's name. The Constitution guarantees that. This teacher was simply wrong.

[Astronaut]

Idiots like this (and the lawyer who takes their case) are determined to destroy everything this country stands for. What these folks are really suing for is the right to destroy traditional American values, one at a time. God. Marriage. Family. Duty. Honor. Patriotism. All of these are hateful values to liberals. They are just as dangerous as the Islamo-fascists in Al Qaeda and the PLO.

[Trailerpark Badass]

I don't believe I've ever said "the Pledge." It certainly wasn't part of the school day at any school I attended. Pledging allegiance to a government is quite a socialist thing to do. The government exists to protect my rights, and those of other citizens, not to compel my "allegiance."

[MineralMan]

"I don't believe I've ever said "the Pledge." It certainly wasn't part of the school day at any school I attended. Pledging allegiance to a government is quite a socialist thing to do. The government exists to protect my rights, and those of other citizens, not to compel my "allegiance."

That's another perspective on the issue. Personally, I have no problem pledging allegiance to the Republic, and never have. I do have a problem using the words "under God," however, and would fight any attempt to coerce me into saying them. Saying such words would make my entire pledge a lie.

[Joe Hadenuf]

More lunacy from California. Uh, er never mind......

[jsbankston]

And if a public school teacher told my 11 year-old that she had no right to live in America I would file suit as well.

[ampat]

I only lived in Texas for 3 years but this lawsuit seems like a dangerous thing to do.

[CholeraJoe]

I hope they have good homeowners coverage. Some of the cowboys in Abilene won't like this.

[Sangria]

If we can have gay schools, why can't we have athiest schools and all the athiests can just send their little God haters there.

[HurkinMcGurkin]

Pledging allegiance to a government is quite a socialist thing to do. The government exists to protect my rights, and those of other citizens, not to compel my "allegiance."

Damn straight!! And that was the orignation and original intent of the pledge when it was written by a well known socialist.

[Tired of Taxes]

Wow, glad to see your post. I've been trying to avoid these topics because discussing them on FR is a pointless exercise.

Anyway, my first thought in reading the article was that the teacher was wrong.

Then I thought the substitute teacher obviously thinks Texas has every right to force this girl's family to pay taxes funding the teacher's salary and the public school where she teaches, in the very country where the teacher doesn't think the girl has a right to live. ;-)

But, finally, I wondered if anyone else witnessed this exchange between teacher and student, why the family didn't sue to simply have the teacher fired, why Pres. Bush is named in the suit, and what the money motto has to do with the original story?

It's all so confusing...

[KellyAdmirer]

Well, there you go, there's the interesting thing about the American legal system, anyone can sue about anything at any time.

Me, personally, I would probably complain to the school administration and give the teacher a nice piece of my mind, but some people are more litigious than others.

And I think a lawsuit trying to remove "In God We Trust" from US coins and the similar stuff the guy is asking for is pretentious and frivolous.