October 20, 2005

"Under God" Under Fire in Connecticut

A rally will be taking place at noon in the city of Milford, Connecticut today in support of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Members of the Knights of Columbus plan to fight the federal court ruling in California that said the phrase "under God" is unconstitutional, and today's rally is to bring awareness and drum up support.

Atheists will be right there counterprotesting.

Dennis Himes, state director of American Atheists, said his group would be there to counter-rally, because the addition of the phrase to the pledge was "directly aimed at atheists in the first place and is trying to say that weÃ•re not true Americans."

He seems a little paranoid! After all, I would't know an atheist to look at him unless he went around with a sign hung around his neck proclaiming his beliefs (or lack of them).

It'll be interesting to see what kind of support each group receives--especially the atheists, in light of their past success:

American Atheists protested the Nativity on the Green last winter, claiming the display violated the separation of church and state. At the protest, a handful of atheists showed up and were met by hundreds of counterprotestors.

Here's a refresher on the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

You know, no one is forced to say the pledge at all, let alone say the "under God" part. People who go around whining that their civil rights are infringed upon when they encounter anything religious in the public sector seem to have no problem with trying to infringe upon the civil rights of others by having all reference to religion banned. "If we can't enjoy it, they can't enjoy it" seems to be their motto.