Investigative Journal
'In God We Trust'
Until someone threatens
to file suit
12/20/2001 888WebToday.com By David M. Bresnahan
Conservative politicians have often been easily intimidated by liberals who use threats of legal action to get their way. Right or wrong, the cost of defense is often enough to get conservatives to back down.
A campaign to place the national motto on the walls of schools at the start of 2001 brought threats of lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union, and many public officials dropped the issue rather than stand up and fight for what is right.
Recently the American Family Association (AFA) issued a statement that threat of legal action was a sham.
"It's language (In God We Trust) that has been upheld by the Supreme Court for our money: they decided it didn't necessarily promote any religion, so I think it would be difficult to make an issue about," said ACLU Michigan director Carrie Moss, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette.
"I knew all along that the ACLU wasn't going to sue anyone over the posters. Since we now have proof that their threats are meaningless, we expect to see an increasing number of schools and public facilities displaying our National Motto," said AFA President Donald E. Wildmon.
The AFA distributed about 250,000 posters displaying the National Motto to schools, churches, and individuals throughout the year. The ACLU had been quick to threaten public officials whenever the posters were displayed.
"For too long, the ACLU has used a mythical 'separation of church and state' argument to drive the knowledge of God out of our classrooms," said Wildmon.
"As far as I'm concerned, their misdirected efforts --and the failure of God-fearing persons to challenge them -- are a major reason our schools, and our society, are in the fix they are.
"It has been shown time and time again that faith in God was a major component in the founding of this country. And our own Congress voted in 1956 to make 'In God We Trust' our national motto. It's a patriotic issue, not a religious issue," explained Wildmon.
All states should follow the lead of the Mississippi legislature which recently passed a law requiring all public schools to display the National Motto in classrooms, auditoriums, and even in the cafeteria. A copy of the law is available at http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2001/html/HB/0001-0099/HB0051SG.htm and may be used as a template for similar legislation in other states, so give a copy to your legislator.
Wildmon has promised to provide free legal defense for anyone sued over the issue, although he is doubtful such suits will take place because courts have upheld the right to display the motto.
The motto is part of the history
and heritage of the United States and should be taught to every child in
all levels of schooling, without fear of lawsuits from the ACLU or anyone
else. The AFA plans to continue efforts to distribute the attractive poster.
Buttons and posters are available at http://InGodWeTrustPoster.com.
***
David M. Bresnahan is an award-winning
investigative journalist and author. Autographed copies of his newest book
are available at http://911TerrorInAmerica.com
or by calling 1-800-338-8824. An archive of his work can be found at http://InvestigativeJournal.com,
and he can be contacted at David@InvestigativeJournal.com.
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