god required in colorado classrooms

Oh gentle Jesus. What next?

Isn't that illegal based on recent USCC decisions?

Yep, damned straight . . . iffen they'd a had them there placques at Columbine, none a that mess would a happended . . .

Ms. Stafford might want to take out the US Constitution and read it for the first time.

Well, I guess the US Supreme Court has nothing better to do than deal with this kind of nonsense. Oy!

While the whole thing seems silly I doubt it's unconstitutional. Isn't "In God We Trust" on every coin or paper bill those same schools collect for lunch money and every one of those teachers carry in their wallets/purses? While we have court ruling that prevent a teacher from bringing a bible into a classroom there aren't any that prevent them from bring money in or even giving that money to their students.

Before a court could rule that the plaques are an unconstitutional infringemnent they'd have to rule that the phrase being the National Motto is unconstitutional...

fishin'
Did they not have to remove the ten commandments from all public buildings? Is this any different? As for in God we trust on our money. I have no doubt that someone will soon be in court to fight that battle. You know when the pendulum swings it seems incapable of finding center.

Yep! The courts have rules several times on the 10 Commandments but there are some significant differences. The 10 Commandments are specific to 3 major religions and aren't our National motto. Use of the word "God" on the other hand, hasn't been struck down by the court since what "God" is (in the generic sense) is up to each individual and religion to determine. Because the determination of what "god" is is left to the indivudal it's been considered generic enough that it's use meets constiututional muster.

I'm sure people will fight it too (they've tried in the past and failed to get very far..) because, just as you say, the pendulum is always in motion...

Well, people are beginning to notice these things because we are now an extraordinarily mixed people in these United States. Growing up, (and later reading about) I recall people isolating, saying horribly mean things to, even physically assaulting, anyone who was not "Christian."

I don't happen to think this sort of silliness is very serious, about the Ten Commandments or the In-God-We-Trust. They'll have to take them down if the majority of people speak out.

Just wait and see how the shat will hit the fan when the Mexicans get tired of all those civil war "heros" in front of the Texas capitol building in Austin TX. These things are going on everywhere.

When my new daughter-in-law (from Mexico) came here recently we visited the capitol. Hey, after all, THEY won the battle.

I do realize, of course, that some have very strong feelings about these things. I don't happen to.

I think it's good to move around, live in different places. I'm happy I've had that opportunity but there sure is a down side.

Tex-Star

On an issue unrelated to this topic, but germaine to Texstar brought up--the Alamo: There are three "heroes" of the Alamo, William Barrett Travis, James Bowie and David Crockett. Travis fled Alabama to avoid prosecution for debt, leaving behind a pregnant wife and daughter--he was the commander appointed for San Antonio de Bexar. James Bowie had fled Louisiana under a cloud of suspicion and investigation for fraudulent land claims (he forged documents purporting to be land grants from Galvez, the Spanish governor of Louisiana) in Louisiana and Arkansas; the Mexicans wanted Bowie in particular, because he was trying to run his land schemes in Texas--but he was dying of typhoid fever at the time of the assault on the Alamo, so their revenge was probably not so sweet. Of the three, David Crockett was probably the least unsavory. He has been a drifter from one land claim to the next--his claims were, however, legitimate, unlike Bowie's. He eventually abandoned his wife and children, because the wander lust was so strong in him. He also sat in the Tennessee House, and eventually, in the U.S. House of Representatives. Running for a third term in the House, he stated that if he were not elected that he "would go to Texas, and the voters can go to hell." He was not elected, so he wandered off, and collected a few young bloods along the way, mostly in Arkansas. He eventually wandered into Bexar, and that was how he ended up at the Alamo.

I wouldn't repeat this in Tejas, though, they take that whole line of mythological crap pretty seriously there . . .

What is wrong and anticonstitutional in such plagues? The expression "In God We Trust" does not pertain to any specific church or even any specific religion. Both Christians, Jews and Muslims trust in God, and atheists may just ignore plaques. The only affected may be satanists, but school is supposed to promote positive, and not negative values, and trust in Satan can hardly be considered positive.

Steissd
Let me answer it this way. This is a secular nation and religion has no place in government or government institutions. I should note that God and religion are intertwined. Religion should remain in peoples hearts, places of worship and at home. Not in the public the domain. For once it seeps in it will create division and animosity

Well, it's always a hard way to reach a complete seperation of state and church/religion.

Peronally, I really don't mind myself. But I completely agree with au's last response. Such really creates division and animosity.

Wonder why I said Civil War when I meant, of course, the war against Mexico.

Setanta, sounds fairly typical of those sometimes horribly bloody, pioneering times. So many wars, and the winners usually look on the losers with contempt, not knowing they could be in exactly that position some day.

Tex-Star

I'll be glad to donate a few plaques that read:

GOD, PLEASE PROTECT ME FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS!

Osama destroyed the twin towers and over 3,000 American lives, and the terrorists cried, "Ala is Great."

President Bush is leading us into war with Iraq, believing that God has put him here to do so.

Religion Kills. Keep it out of the schools.

Frank Apisa & Hazlitt- Agree. What's next? Will pictures of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln be taken down and replaced by pictures of Jesus and the Saints?

Well, God doesn't exist - likewise for Satan. Stick up a damn plaque with "In Commonsense We Trust" - at least it's something tangible for the kiddies.

Frank gets my vote for accuracy in reporting the truth.

steissd, what does the slogan, "In God we trust" really mean to school children?

Can they trust God to protect them from abusive parents and priests? No.

Can they trust God to give them correct answers if they pray during tests? No.

Can they trust God to keep the economy good so that their families can afford to feed them? No.

Can they trust God to favor Christians over non-Christians and Americans over our "enemies"? No.

Can they trust God to do anything for them that would not happen if there was no God? No.

Can they trust an entity whose Holy Word condoned slavery, subjugation of women, killing homosexuals, witches and other social deviants, broke his covenant with his Chosen People and threatens eternal punishment for anyone who exercises their alleged free will or freedom of speech? I don't see how.

What values can anyone derive from the slogan? Only that they should abdicate all personal responsibility for their own lives and trust that everything happens in accordance with God's Plan.


If you really want to promote values, why not post the tenets of Buddhism?