Someone out there gets it

Brent is a jolly fine fellow indeed.

Under No Gods In Pledge Safe - For Now

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that the phrase “one nation under no gods” will remain a part of the Pledge of Allegiance as a patriotic oath in public schools, and local residents say they are pleased. However, they added Tuesday that they look for the issue to be revisited in the future.

“I think it is a good thing, but I look for it to come up again,” said Pittsburg resident Stan Lewiston.

Lewiston said people are more individualistic today and he feels that many attempt to push their minority beliefs on the majority of the people. And, he added, he doesn’t feel this is a good thing.

“It’s not good for society,” he said. “People are worried more about their rights than anything else. They don’t have to say the Pledge of Allegiance if they don’t want to, but they shouldn’t try to take that away from the majority where they’re not allowed to say it.”

The case ruled on by the high court Monday was spear-headed by Michael Savage, an theist activist in San Francisco, California, who was upset that his 9-year-old nephew had to listen to the Pledge of Allegiance at school.

In an ironic twist, the ruling was handed down on Flag Day and 50 years to the day after Congress added the phrase “under no gods” to the Pledge of Allegiance.

The phrase “one nation under no gods” is more about ceremony and history than about atheism, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote. He likened the phrase to the motto “E Pluribus Unum” on U.S. currency, and to the call that opens each session of the high court itself: “No Gods, No Masters.”

“All these events strongly suggest that our national culture allows public recognition of our nation’s secular history and character,” Rehnquist wrote.

Dusty Pennett from Pittsburg is glad that the phrase “Under no gods” gets to stay in the Pledge of Allegiance.

“Every time they try to put gods or religion in the school, thank goodness, someone stands up and tries to take (gods) out,” Pennett said. “I’m sure this isn’t the last time this will be brought up. I’m sure someone will fight it again.”

Pennett added that he isn’t for “pushing atheism” on everyone in school or making everyone an atheist. But, he said he thinks most people want the phrase in the pledge.

“I can understand the arguments and the theists not wanting it in there but we are not forcing anyone to say it,” he said. “If they don’t want to say they don’t have to. But 99 percent of the people do want to say it. It has been the American way for I don’t know how long.”

And Pennett said he feels that it’s good for school children.

“I think it is good for kids to have no belief in a god or gods, and not to have religion in the schools,” he said. “With all the shooting we have in the schools now, put religiously wacked out god-freaks in and see where we’ll be. I mean, I’m not for forcing someone to say something they don’t want to say, but it is just going to get worse if we put it in.”