U.S. To Challenge Pledge Ruling - Dispute Over Words 'Under God' Headed To Supreme Court

Just wondering if you fellows will be endorsing the amending of the Declaration of Independence to read:

WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their State with certain alienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, maybe.

The recital of the "Pledge of Allegiance is NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT MANDATORY. It's up to the individual whether he or she feels comfortable with it. That doesn't give YOU the right to prevent those that DO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT to recite the pledge of allegiance. SO STOP TRYING TO STUFF YOUR down our backs!!! FREEDOM OF SPEECH DOES NOT, DOES NOT, DOES NOT, DOES NOT STOP AT THE DOORSTEP OF THE SCHOOL OR ANY OTHER BUILDING IN AMERICA!!! GOT THAT BUCKET HEAD.

"We may not — we must not — allow public sentiment or outcry to guide our decisions," Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote

He's absolutely right about that.

By the way, I'm a Grandpa who attended public schools in the 50's and 60's where I recited the pledge and even said a prayer in the morning. The education I got in those public schools was second to none and nobody was indoctrinated or coerced into either.

You were lucky. I attended public schools in the bible belt of the Deep South and was forced to read the bible out loud in front of the class by a teacher who thought it would do me good. I was sent to the principal's office for putting "none" for religion on a school form.

I see you guys as no better than the run of the mill lefty.

LOL. Name calling? Not very Christian, and incorrect I might add.

Speech that you don't agree with is verboten.

Political or religious speech that is sponsored or endorsed by state-run schools is what bothers me. Again, I'm surprised that you can't see the things that it could lead to ... Hitler Youth in the past, Hillary Youth in the future, etc. You and I would probably be side by side in the trenches fighting such rot if it ever came to pass.

The First Amendment gives me goose bumps. I consider it one of the greatest statements for freedom ever.

As for my kids, I paid for their education and will be helping pay for my grandkids education in parochial schools. I would suggest you do the same because SCOTUS is going to shove this down the Ninth's throat just like they have on many issues before this one.

I commend you for it. So far the courts have ruled against religious indoctrination in public schools. I hope they continue to do so, because if my side lost my tax money would be being spent for causes I don't agree with. That's never happened to me before (extract tongue from cheek). It is hard to say what the SCOTUS will do with this case.

I retract my statements calling you guys lefties. Ad hominem and uncalled for. I apologise.

As for the debate I consider your opinions misguided and rustbucket case law, shall we say, challenged?

I suppose you also want "In God We Trust Removed From our money

I doubt if there is anything I could do about that, and, no, you can't have my money that says that.

...Remove the Bible from courts used for swearing in

No, it keeps you people telling the truth.

...Remove the religious symbols in every Gov't building in Washington D.C.

What difference have they made? Actually, I love history and wouldn't want to see them changed. My favorite buildings of all time are the gothic cathedrals in France. Absolutely beautiful. Go figure.

...Prevent the Supreme Court from opening court by prayer

That is another tradition that would be hard to stop. If it makes some of the justices respect the law and interpret it rather that legislate it, I say keep the bible. I'm pragmatic.

...The the each member of oongress, [etc.]

Ditto above.

Political or religious speech that is sponsored or endorsed by state-run schools is what bothers me. Again, I'm surprised that you can't see the things that it could lead to ... Hitler Youth in the past, Hillary Youth in the future, etc. You and I would probably be side by side in the trenches fighting such rot if it ever came to pass.

I can't se it because it isn't there. Case law and the Constitution require the state, ie: public schools, remain neutral on the issue.

You're not happy with neutral, you want to ban voluntary speech by citizens. You're wrong and this isn't a close call. SCOTUS will whack it.

I apologise.

Apology accepted, and I apologise if I've offended you. I figure we both wouldn't be posting on FreeRepublic, the greatest web site there is, if we didn't feel passionately about our beliefs. We'd have both been fighting for the American side in the Revolutionary War, alongside all my ancestors who did fight in the war and were uniformly religious as near as I can tell.

As for the debate I consider your opinions misguided and rustbucket case law, shall we say, challenged?

Fair enough. I probably am.

and I apologise if I've offended you

None necessary, you didn't offend me at all.

We must see the jurisdiction of all courts below the SCOTUS level changed so that establishment clause cases no longer are heard by them. This can be done since Congress established the lower courts via legislation; it can simply alter the original bill.

The 9th should also be broken up. Furthermore, the judges should be impeached.

Contact your House and Senate members ASAP!

As for those on this thread that say they didn't know the Pledge was voluntary, ignorance is not an excuse. If you don't care to find out what your rights are, too bad.