Free Republic

March 26, 2004 OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR Jefferson, Madison, Newdow? By KENNETH C. DAVIS DORSET, Vt. When Michael Newdow stood before the Supreme Court on Wednesday and made the case for atheism, he probably didn't win many converts. But his quixotic crusade to rid the Pledge of Allegiance of the words "under God" is a peculiarly American act of courage. And somewhere the spirits of Jefferson, Madison and Franklin may well be smiling. Few questions have inspired as much myth and misconception as the place of God in America. For example, when the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit...

WASHINGTON - A California atheist told the Supreme Court Wednesday that the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance are unconstitutional and offensive to people who don't believe there is a God. Michael Newdow, who challenged the Pledge of Allegiance on behalf of his daughter, said the court has no choice but to keep it out of public schools. "It's indoctrinating children," he said. "The government is supposed to stay out of religion." But some justices said they were not sure if the words were intended to unite the country, or express religion. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist noted...