Even if you don't have a deity, you're assigned one by civic religion, even per the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which previously liked Michael Newdow.
The court also ruled that it's "In God We Trust," even for those of us who don't.
Both phrases are textbook exemplars of civic religion in times of crisis.
Most intelligent people know the "Under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance (U.S. and U.S.-molded Philippines the only two countries in the world with a flag pledge) as part of the Second Red Scare in 1954.
For those who don't know about the coinage, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase pushed for the motto on it in 1864, as he worried, along with many other Northerners, that war weariness might be setting in. Too bad Lincoln couldn't have given him his Second Inaugural Address nine months in advance, telling Chase and like-minded people that "the prayers of neither (the North nor the South) were fully answered."
That said, if your nutters enough to compare this to racial segregation, Newdow, you kind of deserved to lose.
A skeptical leftist's, or post-capitalist's, or eco-socialist's blog, including skepticism about leftism (and related things under other labels), but even more about other issues of politics. Free of duopoly and minor party ties. Also, a skeptical look at Gnu Atheism, religion, social sciences, more.
Note: Labels can help describe people but should never be used to pin them to an anthill.
As seen at Washington Babylon and other fine establishments
March 11, 2010
U.S. is still 'under God'
Labels:
agnosticism,
atheism,
church-state,
civic religion,
First Amendment
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