Federal Judge blows it again

Posted on September 14, 2005 06:01 PM by Joel Comm

Here we go again. A federal judge in California (9th Circuit Court of Appeals) has ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because it includes the words "Under God". This highlights the reason that it is critical for Bush's appointee, Judge John Roberts, to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. We need strict constitutionalists sitting on the bench, and not activists judges who rewrite the law in order to promote their own agenda. Roberts should slip through easily. Let's see if Bush has the courage to nominate another like him to replace the retiring Sandra Day O' Connor. It's time for the highest court in the land to swing back to the right and erase the disastrous decisions of the past 40 years.

5 Comments For This Post

  1. Ron Franscell Says:
    September 14, 2005 06:08 PM

    From http://underthenews.blogspot.com ...

    A federal judge in California has ruled that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional because the pledge’s reference to “under God” violates school children’s right to be “free from a coercive requirement to affirm God.”

    OK, it's California, where a guy with a petition to repeal the suffrage of hamsters could get 10,000 signatures in 30 minutes. It's ironic that ours is a nation where burning the flag is defended as free speech, but kids saying "under God" should be gagged. But really, is this the most pressing issue before a nation at war, a nation rabbit-punched by a hurricane, and a nation with a big al Qaeda target painted on its back?

    On one hand, if God intended to reward us for including him in our daily affirmations before class, He might go a little easier on the hurricanes. I mean, don't you think that admitting we're "one nation under God" should invite some tender mercies?

    On the other hand, maybe He doesn't care what we force schoolkids to say out loud, and is more interested in how we conduct ourselves when nobody else is looking.

    Who knows? The Lord hasn't really been keeping up his blog, so we're not sure what He's thinking. But I can tell you what I'm thinking: These attention-starved atheists are starting to be as annoying as megawatt televangelists.

  2. Newman Says:
    September 16, 2005 12:47 PM

    The idea that the pledge of alliegance is unconstitutional is as ridiculous as the idea that Roberts is a strict constitutionalist.
    Bringing his own moral beliefs into the interpretation of the constitution doesn't fit that bill.
    What we need are Judges who will stand by the ideas behind the constitution. Without religious inflection, or progressive perceptive interpretaion.
    I bet you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't carry thier own, or a presidents agenda.
    Be it Conservative or Liberal.
    An Atheist has noplace on the supreme court, just as Christian conservative doesn't.
    Neither seem to be capable of following the law without bringing thier own morality or lack thereof into it.

    You can't act like you want someone to just follow the constitution, when what you really want is prayer in schools and Anti-abortion laws which are even more ludicrous than saying the pledge is unconstitutional.

  3. Joel Says:
    September 16, 2005 06:49 PM

    It doesn't take a historian to read the writings of our Founding Fathers which claimed that the teachings of Scripture were ESSENTIAL to the survival of our Republic. The overwhelming majority had absolutely no problem with placing God at the center of our society and culture, as can be evidenced by their own writings, speeches, inclusion in our key documents and engravings into our monuments and buildings. Even those who may not have claimed Christianity as their faith supported the notion that a sound education was centered on the Bible. Our first universities (which have now become insane bastions of liberalism) were all seminaries. Abortion should be outlawed. It is murder. And people are finally beginning to realize that abortion doesn't just hurt the babies. It hurts women. They have been sold a lie and untold thousands are paying a price for it now. Prayer in school? Voluntary. It you don't like it, don't pray. But don't tell me that I can't when the first ammendment clearly says that the government will not impede my right to do so.

    Whether or not the early Justices moral beliefs entered into their decisions was never an issue before because it was assumed they were men of sound moral character. It was an unspoken requirement. The bar for our leaders has most certainly been lowered. Fortunately, Judge Roberts rises above it.

    Now if Bush can have the courage to nominate another in Robert's vein, this country might stand a chance of getting back on solid footing. It's time the pendulum swung back the other way.

  4. Lili Says:
    September 21, 2005 04:15 PM

    I agree with you that if people don't agree with praying, they don't have to but if I and my children feel comfortable with it and want to pray, we should be able to.

    I also think that if these people who totally don't like the way we do things in this country, such as reciting the pledge during school aren't ok with it, they should find a country where they will fit in better and move there. They are also free to come and go as they please. So why is it that they are still here? Because this is the best place to be, of course. I wish that they would recongnize our country for what it is and quit trying to make it something that it is not!

    GOD BLESS!!!

  5. Amyla Says:
    September 27, 2005 08:45 PM

    It was said:

    But really, is this the most pressing issue before a nation at war
    >>I respond with the bill passed to make burning of the American flag a federal offense. This was also done during a war, initiated by conservative right wing politicians.

    An Atheist has no place in the supreme court, just as Christian conservative doesn't.
    >>Actually, it seems there would be more cause for someone who does not allow religious beliefs to stand in the way of being objective. The problem with religious extremists is that they seem to have an inability to recognize that they can have their faith and allow others to do the same but that the end of the day, the law cannot be interpreted with religious influence.

    And in response to Joel and LiLi, faith is just that - faith. Prayer is something you can do anyplace at anytime and there are no laws or threats of laws making that illegal. I believe the issue is that in addition to those who created the constitution of this country having believed in reading scripture, they also believed in many other things that we now see as inappropriate, outdated as well as abhorrent.

    Why is it that some remember only parts of the stories that they feel most comfortable remembering? The constitution? History? Biblical stories? Why don't we teach our public school children that the American "settlers" raped and murdered and stole land from millions of people who were in this country before them? That they felt persecuted in their countries of origin for their beliefs and because those countries did not accept their desires to have their beliefs and lifestyles accepted without persecution? We can't pick and choose the truth and expect children not to see the Emperoror what he really is. They're too smart for that and they'll see right through the hypocrisies

    Pray! Pray away! No one is stopping you. Christianity is not in any danger in this or most countries. The threat of personal freedom and the rights of individuals to be just that while they're in public places is threatened all of the time. This country and the world can only be at peace when the pendulum that Joel speaks of is in a moderate position of acceptance and tolerance of others.

    The need for the word "god" to be included in the pledge is just as unnecessary as the need for the name of the current president to be included. If you believe in God and you believe in Patriotism, fine! They are not the same thing. Why is that so difficult for people to realize? Additionally, patriotism is not a requirement for living in this country. Abiding the laws, paying taxes is. The word "God" was added in 1954 when it transitioned from simply the words of a public school flag-raising ceremony written by a Socialist to what has become a patriotic oath and a public prayer. This change was the result of a congressional campaign headed by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men's organization with a personal agenda. The intent of the pledge, written by a former Baptist minister, was not to be a prayer. So here again is an excellent example of hypocrisy; the origin of the pledge has been twisted and changed despite the originator's intent and no one has a problem with that. But try to alter one word in the constitution protect the rights of individuals in this country due to outdated writings and Conservatives hit the roof.

    I am not the liberal that you fear so much, I am an independent-minded, caring, empathic, accepting and concerned American.

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