On September 14, a federal judge declared the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional, due to its use of the phrase “Under God.”
This ruling is the latest chapter in a three-year legal battle by California attorney and devout atheist Michael Newdow, who has been fighting to have the phrase “Under God” banned. His original court case was thrown out by the U.S. Supreme Court on procedural grounds, but Newdow has since amended his case and is representing it.
Not surprisingly, this case has stirred up heated controversy. Before I offer my own opinion on this case, I would like to point out a few important facts that a lot of people should take into consideration.
The idea of a “separation of church and state” does not appear anywhere in the Constitution. The phrase originated in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This phrase has been subject to various interpretations throughout American history and is a constant subject of legal debate. The separation of church and state is not expressly guaranteed by the Constitution. But that doesn’t make it a bad idea.
It’s also important to remember that the phrase “Under God” was not in the original pledge of allegiance, but rather was added to it in the 1950s as an act of defiance against “godless communists.” It is not part of our heritage or any other such nonsense. If anything, the phrase “Under God” is a relic from an age of massive paranoia and censorship.
And for the last part of our little history lesson, in 1960 a devout atheist named Madalyn Murray O’Hair began a legal campaign that resulted in the abolishment of public prayer and Bible readings in public schools. Afterwards, O’Hair founded American Atheists, an organization “dedicated to defending the civil rights of nonbelievers.” However, O’Hair earned the contempt of more than just the religious conservatives.
Many atheists came to scorn her as well. She expelled members of American Atheists who did not conform to her ideas. She was viewed as outspoken, rude, and argumentative. Critics say her cross nature and often-flawed arguments not only undermined atheist causes, but confirmed stereotypes among many Christians that atheists are amoral by definition. In her lifetime, she became widely known as “The Most Hated Woman in America.”
It would appear that Newdow wishes to follow in O’Hair’s footsteps. Taking a page right out of O’Hair’s legacy, one Time magazine writer dubbed him “America’s least favorite atheist.”
To people who support Newdow’s efforts, please listen.
In a family, there are bound to be disagreements and squabbles. An important trick to avoid pointless tension is to pick and choose your battles carefully. And that’s precisely what Newdow is not doing. This “Under God” lunacy is the political equivalent of leaving the cap off the toothpaste. We are the UNITED States of America. We’re arguably the most diverse country in the world. If we’re going to all get along, we need to pick our battles, and this is a battle not worth fighting.
Is reciting the phrase “Under God” in a public school’s pledge of allegiance unconstitutional? Personally, I think it is. But, so what? Does this actually keep you awake at nights? Do you not see how bitterly divided the country is? Do you not see how a victory would accomplish little and only embitter religious conservatives even more?
Saying the pledge of allegiance every day doesn’t brainwash kids; it numbs them to it. It means no more to them than if the entire classroom stood up and counted to ten every day. If a child is so weak-minded that a two-word phrase spoken in a daily routine could undermine the foundation of their spiritual beliefs, that sounds to me like a failure on the part of the parent, not the government.
Michael Newdow, please do this entire country a favor: Just shut up and go away. Politicians are using religion as a wedge to divide this country, and you’re playing right into their hands. You’re not helping anybody, and you’re making people who actually are trying to help look like jerks. Maybe you didn’t notice, but while you were out whining about the Pledge of Allegiance, other people have been working hard to keep theology out of science classes and to keep discrimination out of the Constitution.
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