I thought it was over. I thought people who just need God around in public schools had forgotten about the 9th Circuit. But they haven't.
Still bitter about the change in the 9th Circuit back to the way the pledge of allegiance once was, the Indiana Senate decided to take another step in a monotheistic direction to secure the love affair between religion and state.
Senate Bill 532, authored by Senator Nugent, was recently passed by a vote of 44-6. This bill requires (yes, requires) public schools to post the motto, "In God We Trust" in a conspicuous place in the main entrance of every building of each public school corporation. I don't know about the rest of you, but upon hearing this news, all my thoughts were condensed into a simple, "Wha?"
For those of you wondering why I care, move your eyes to the top right-hand corner of this page of the Daily News. That, friends, is the First Amendment - the amendment to our U.S. Constitution that allows me to sleep at night. I love that Amendment like Charlton Heston loves his rifle.
Proponents say that posting this motto is not intended to push religion, but rather to encourage "patriotism." They also say that children "need to be reminded of their heritage."
The Indiana Civil Liberties Union has previously suggested that legislators seek a safer constitutional path in showing patriotism or heritage like posting the Bill of Rights, the flag, or pictures of presidents. These ideas have all been rejected without consideration. I can only imagine their explanations as to why they don't care if the Bill of Rights is posted in public schools.
So why "In God We Trust"? Why now? Schools are losing funding like it's going out of style. Is this the most effective way to spend legislators' time and taxpayers' money? Of course not. Especially because people are just going to file suits over the issue and cause more time wasted on the part of the attorney general, who is required by this bill to defend it in potential suits.
Is this really going to do a great job in reminding the children of their heritage? What about Native Americans, or other polytheists, or atheists? Will this remind them of their heritage? And if you don't trust in God, are you not part of "we"? I guess you'd have to be excluded; either that or believe something you don't.
This probably won't help our image in the eyes of people from other states either. If I were from out of state and came to Indiana and the first day of school I saw those words posted at entrance, I'd think I was in the wrong school. I'd probably just turn around and call my parents and ask them to pick me up because apparently I took the bus to the Christian school. Then, the next day, I'd feel very unwelcome thinking I was the only non-Christian in the community.
Final Thought: What's wrong with posting the Bill or Rights, or even the phrase "United We Stand"? To me, that phrase does a lot more for unity and patriotism than "In God We Trust."
Write to Mat at twobsuguys@yahoo.com
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