This board needs more political and religious arguments. j/k

Court Won't Revisit Pledge Decision
By Justin Pritchard, Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (Feb. 28) - A federal appeals court Friday rejected the Bush administration's request to reconsider its decision that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because of the phrase ''under God.''

The ruling means the case could go to the Supreme Court. In Washington, a Justice Department spokesman said no decision has been made about whether to appeal the ruling there.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it would not accept any other petitions to reconsider last June's ruling by a three-judge panel that the pledge is unconstitutional when recited in public classrooms.

Ruling on a lawsuit brought by Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow, the court panel decided 2-1 that Newdow's daughter should not be subjected to the words ''under God'' at her public school.

The court said the phrase was an endorsement of God, and the Constitution forbids public schools or other governmental entities from endorsing religion.

President Bush and Congress immediately condemned the decision, which would prevent public schoolchildren from reciting the pledge in the nine western states covered by the nation's largest - and, critics charge, most liberal - appeals court.

Those states are Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Newdow's lawsuit began as a challenge to a 1954 decision by Congress to add the words ''under God'' to the pledge. The lawsuit later sidestepped into a parental rights case over a custody dispute between Newdow and his 8-year-old child's mother, Sandra Banning of Elk Grove.

In response to the court's original ruling, Banning asserted that her daughter is not harmed by reciting the pledge and is not opposed to God. Banning, who now has legal custody of the child, urged the court to consider whether Newdow even had legal standing to bring the case on behalf of his daughter. The court said Newdow did have such legal standing.

AP-NY-02-28-03 1445EST

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Originally posted by Janice
A federal appeals court Friday rejected the Bush administration's request to reconsider its decision that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because of the phrase ''under God.''

Good.

Im probably going to get attacked for this, but whether we like it or not, this country has roots of a religious nature. It hasnt changed in over 200 years and I dont expect it will anytime soon. Spoken or unspoken, "under God" is going to be there. We might as well say it.
Do these people object to using American currency too?!? "in god we trust" *hums God Bless America*

One of my friends who is atheist has a pretty good handle on it, when we say the pledge in school he simply doesnt say "under God"- hes still saying the rest of the pledge and it isnt hurting anyone or causing a big legal suit.

I haven't said the pledge since around 6th grade.

Originally posted by Titania
Im probably going to get attacked for this, but whether we like it or not, this country has roots of a religious nature. It hasnt changed in over 200 years and I dont expect it will anytime soon. Spoken or unspoken, "under God" is going to be there. We might as well say it.
Do these people object to using American currency too?!? "in god we trust" *hums God Bless America*

One of my friends who is atheist has a pretty good handle on it, when we say the pledge in school he simply doesnt say "under God"- hes still saying the rest of the pledge and it isnt hurting anyone or causing a big legal suit.

I agree with you:)

Originally posted by AKA


Good. Good II

I don't know, I mean, I have said the pledge every school morning since I was in kindergarten having lived in California all my School Years... It just became a routine. People that didn't want to say the 'under god' part just didn't, and people respected that. Some people wouldn't even say ANY of it. The teaches just requested that they stand along with everyone else, but for the most part everyone said it.

Whats the big deal? If you don't wanna say the pledge just don't say it. There are kids at my school who don't say the pledge, and they try not to make it a big deal. Why does everyone else? I dunno, I just wish folks would just drop the whole subject!patriot: God Bless America, my home sweet home !!!

Originally posted by leah02_06
Whats the big deal? If you don't wanna say the pledge just don't say it. There are kids at my school who don't say the pledge, and they try not to make it a big deal. Why does everyone else? I dunno, I just wish folks would just drop the whole subject!patriot: God Bless America, my home sweet home !!!
Im with you Leah! and i will continue to say The pledge exactly as i say it, including the "under GOD" part...and no one can stop me.....

There was also a thing on Insider that talked about this b-ball player who refused to sing the national anthem and looked away from the flag when they did. i am sorry but that si wrong. If people can't accept america as the way it is and it was found then they should move somewhere else. It is a privalge to live in this country and those actions are totally unacceptable and ignorant.

Originally posted by friend to IDOJ lover

Im with you Leah! and i will continue to say The pledge exactly as i say it, including the "under GOD" part...and no one can stop me.....

Nobody's trying to stop you. God just shouldn't be endorsed in the Pledge Of Allegiance. I'd feel the same way even if I was a Christian. How would you feel if the pledge said "One nation under Krishna?"

And besides, the words "under God" weren't originally in the Pledge. They were added later; in the 1950s, I believe.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands. One nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Ugh, I dont see what the big problem is. Its the Pledge- its a part of our American history. If you're not religious then just keep silent for the "Under God" part. I swear society these days are getting WAY to politically correct- they have nothing better to do but complain about things because it may not apply to everyone or they dont agree with it. Get over it!

Originally posted by AKA


Nobody's trying to stop you. God just shouldn't be endorsed in the Pledge Of Allegiance. I'd feel the same way even if I was a Christian. How would you feel if the pledge said "One nation under Krishna?"

[/I] I just wouldnt say it.....that's all ya gotta do.....not hard......

Originally posted by AKA


Nobody's trying to stop you. God just shouldn't be endorsed in the Pledge Of Allegiance. I'd feel the same way even if I was a Christian. How would you feel if the pledge said "One nation under Krishna?"

And besides, the words "under God" weren't originally in the Pledge. They were added later; in the 1950s, I believe.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands. One nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. well I'm a christian so I feel kinda weird saying this but the word "God" has a wide variety of meanings. like some people might think their "god" is a tv, or the sun or something.... I mean no one saying it must be the God in heaven. But, I am not promoting to go worship your tv set or anything so don't put words in my mouth. It's not like you are saying "one nation under Jesus" i mean that would be cool, but I could understand how that could be offensive. Just be silent when that part is said and dn't start a big rukus

Originally posted by •Shotz|NYC•
Ugh, I dont see what the big problem is. Its the Pledge- its a part of our American history. If you're not religious then just keep silent for the "Under God" part. I swear society these days are getting WAY to politically correct- they have nothing better to do but complain about things because it may not apply to everyone or they dont agree with it. Get over it!

True. I remember when saying "Under God" was not controversial. All of us said it in class; no one refused to say it. Even more so with people older than I. Of course, there were different (better) values then.

Is a pledge really needed? Maybe when you're first forced to learn the pledge starting school, you say it with thought and meaning, but after a while, it'd just be routine, like eating or brushing your teeth, and people wouldn't pay attention. It's like in school when we pray (we're allowed in the UK, only in one religion schools) nobody says all the words, some talk during it, some parody it, a pledge should be an optional thing.

America is a religious country. Every single country in the world is in someway, religious. There's no denying that. So there are bound to be religious sayings and pledges. I don't say the pledge because it means that you're pledging allegiance to only one country, and I can't do that. It doesn't mean I'm not pledging allegiance to America, it just means I can't do it for ONLY America.

But I don't mind the "Under God" part, it's an important part of the pledge, they shouldn't take it out. If that's so big, they should remove the part where you're saying that you're pledging allegiance to only this country cause of multi-nationality kids who might not feel that way. Next thing you know, Christmas won't be a holiday anymore because its name is too religious.

Also, the guy who wanted it altered said it was because his daughter was "offended" by the "under God" part--when in fact his daughter and her mother were both Christians. I think it was changed more for his sake than for hers. And wasn't there some sort of custody battle going on?

Originally posted by Fleet


True. I remember when saying "Under God" was not controversial. All of us said it in class; no one refused to say it. Even more so with people older than I. Of course, there were different (better) values then. youre right fleet. i think alot of values have changed imo for the worst.

There was also a thing on Insider that talked about this b-ball player who refused to sing the national anthem and looked away from the flag when they did. i am sorry but that si wrong. If people can't accept america as the way it is and it was found then they should move somewhere else. It is a privalge to live in this country and those actions are totally unacceptable and ignorant.

Tropical Punch 19- I agree with you that what the player did was disrespectful, at the Olympics, countries respect each other, even if his roots are from a different country, he could still show respect. However, if people don't accept it, they can still live there, but just don't be disrespectful. His actions were ignorant, but a privelige to live in America? It's the same privelige all over the world to live in any civilised country, not just america- but he should've shown some respect.