A federal appeals court ruled the Pledge Of Allegiance unconstitutional because of the words “under God.” I think that this interpretation of church versus state is ludicrously stringent and agree with the government’s view that “the religious content of ‘one nation under God’ is minimal.” The phrase does not explicitly endorse, affirm, or impose any particular religion, or a religion at all, for that matter. Of course, I can see knee-jerk ACLU types saying that this is tantamount to forced school prayer, but I obviously strongly disagree.
The Washington Post also has an article on this travesty, with this quote from Judge Alfred T. Goodwin: “A profession that we are a nation ‘under God’ is identical, for Establishment Clause purposes, to a profession that we are a nation ‘under Jesus,’ a nation ‘under Vishnu,’ a nation ‘under Zeus,’ or a nation ‘under no god,’ because none of these professions can be neutral with respect to religion.” Again, I disagree. “Under God” does not explicitly imply any particular deity, or could in turn imply the lack of a deity, to admittedly stretch a metaphor somewhat.
I’m usually pretty moderate in my political views, leaning left and right at will, but I feel the need to rail against this radically liberal bullshit. If they’re that offended by the phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance then what of the song “God Bless America,” the later verses of the “Star Spangled Banner,” and all of our money (“In God We Trust”)?! In any case, the implications for this will obviously be great, and I look forward to a speedy Supreme Court reaffirmation.