While everyone awaits the outcome of the race between Lynn Daucher and Lou Correa for the 34th Senate seat there is a bigger story unfolding today. The following announcement was just received from Pacific Justice. Perhaps you might wish to weigh in with your thoughts on the freedom that Dr Newdow enjoys in creating these lengthy legal debates. Only in America can this wacko idea even be considered.
Larry Gilbert11.20.2006
Briefs Filed by U.S. Dept. of Justice and PJI in Support of National Motto
San Francisco, CA— Today legal briefs were filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Pacific Justice Institute in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Department of Justice is representing the federal defendants who were sued late last year by an atheist, Dr. Michael Newdow, to remove “In God We Trust” from coins and currency. PJI intervened as a defendant because of its longstanding interest in representing people of faith.
Last June the District Court ruled in favor of the defendants finding that the national motto does not violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. In addition to arguing that the inscription appearing on coins is an unlawful establishment of religion, Dr. Newdow is also asserting that the motto interferes with the exercise of his religious rights as an atheist. Dr. Newdow was thrust into the national spotlight when he successfully convinced the Ninth Circuit to declare the phrase “one nation under God” to be unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed finding that Dr. Newdow lacked standing. However, he re-filed the case with other plaintiffs and the District Court found in his favor. Along with the national motto case, the pledge of allegiance matter is also pending in the Appellate Court.
While a number of organizations will be filing amicus (friend of the court) briefs in support of and opposition to the national motto, attorneys for the Department of Justice and PJI will be the only lawyers that will be actually appearing in court to argue the case. Oral argument has not yet been scheduled in the Court of Appeals. “Our attorneys are committed to work hard as we diligently represent people of faith throughout this country in this very important case,” stated Brad Dacus, President of Pacific Justice Institute.
Poll question: Please visit our website, www.pacificjustice.org , to respond to our poll question: Should the Ninth Circuit declare “In God We Trust” unconstitutional?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
The Pacific Justice Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) legal defense organization specializing in
the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties.
P.O. Box 276600
Sacramento, CA 95827-6600
Phone: (916) 857-6900 Fax (916) 857-6902
Internet: www.pacificjustice.org
Pacific Justice Institute is a wacko group supported by individuals to advocate hate. Several years ago they lost a case in Calfornia when they tried to fight tolerance in public schools.
It seems like this is an attempt by extreme right wingers to attempt to distract the country from issues the right wingers are losing support on : i.e the greed of their elected officials and the endless war in Iraq.
“Only in America can this wacko idea even be considered”
… because America is the only country that carries a lukewarm endorsement of a generic God on its currency?
Or were you trying to make a different point?
Anonymous. 2:50 p.m.
Are you a card carrying member of the ACLU?
Perhaps we should remove crosses from every military cemetary in America! Is that your desire?
You probably wanted to remove the Mount Soledad cross in San Diego.
Thank God that Brad Dacus and his staff of attorney’s at Pacific Justice Institute continue their “voluntary” efforts to protect and defend Judea-Christian values across this Nation.
Our founding fathers surely had a different concept of freedom in this country than we live with today.
Larry
in god we trust has been the motto on our currency since the civil war.
newdow is trying to obtain exclusive control of our nation’s religious heritage and that religious heritage is our belief that our freedoms come from god and not from government.
in god we trust is not a practice of religion but a motto expressing the ideals of our national heritage. cathy schlicht
Larry, quit putting up straw men. No one is trying to remove the crosses from headstones in military cemetaries, and you know it. And the issue with the Mount Soledad cross is that some people believe that one religion’s symbol does not belong in a prominent public place– and you know that, too.
>Thank God that Brad Dacus and his
>staff of attorney’s at Pacific
>Justice Institute continue
>their “voluntary” efforts
Why do you have ‘voluntary’ in quotation marks? Are you trying to emphasize the voluntary nature of their efforts, or are you saying the attornies claim their efforts are voluntary, when in fact they are not? And btw, the plural of attorney is attornies, not “attorny’s.”
>to protect and defend Judea->Christian values across this >Nation.
“Judeo-Christian.” Funny how you never hear Jews talking about Judeo-Christian anything.
And before you start going on again about the importance of crosses in parks, and “In God We Trust” on our money (that phrase, btw, was added to our currency in 1964), let me remind you of Jesus’ words: “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Do you get the point?
Jesus was telling his followers not to make a big public spectacle of your faith. Are you going to listen to him, or to Brad Dacus?
We put “In god we trust” on the same paper currency used to gamble, snort coke, pay for hookers, and purchase pornography. Anybody else see the irony in this?
Paul.
I won’t get into a debate with your rebuttal but will address my use of quotation marks with the word “volunteer.”
Having met Brad Dacus when he first started Pacific Justice Institute and remaining in contact with him over the years I can state that most of the attorney’s who support his cases are working “pro bono.” Unless there is an award of attorney fees connected to those cases where PJI prevails they are not paid. He does have one or two on staff that are compensated but not to the extent of typical attorney compensation.
Larry
Yes, Larry, it SHOULD BE REMOVED! It is offensive to every atheist and agnostic in this nation.
Would you have the same opinion if our currency said “In Allah we trust” or “In Buddha we trust”?
God Shmod.
“In Good I trust”
If I am ever confronted with danger, I will pray there is a white-haired man-in-the-sky who will be ready to scoop me to safety. That is why I am agnostic and not aetheist.
I love my country and my freedom within it.
“In God we trust” should be removed because it is a lie. Some of us trust in God, but many do not. In fact many of us do not believe in gods. It would be more appropriate if the statement on the money said “In Gold we Trust.”
Since “under God” has been added to the Pledge of Allegiance the Nation has gone decidedly downhill and America would be better if we pledged allegiance to the Constitution instead.
Ernst.
Based on your coments please let the Juice Team know when you intend to burn all of the US paper currency you have in your wallet. Perhaps you might send it for Haitian Relief.
Larry, I can’t burn my coins and I will not be burning my paper currency despite the fact that Congress has defiled it. I belief it is also illegal to burn the paper money, although it would help deplete some of the paper blizzard created by the treasury — not that it would make a measurable difference.
I have already made my contributions for Haiti relief despite the recommendation of a Christian preacher not to do it because Haiti made a pact with the devil (Christian love has strange manifestations). Anyway, the myth would have it that the Devil would have given the Haitians a better lot than God has.