Family News in Focus - Should 'Under God' Remain in Pledge of Allegiance?

January 21, 2008
by Kim Trobee

Should 'Under God' Remain in Pledge of Allegiance?

The American Center for Law and Justice thinks it should. And its representing 80,000 Americans and more than 50 members of Congress who share that view. The move comes just after a group of atheists filed a lawsuit asking for the removal of those two words with such enormous impact.

The ACLJ has filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of thousands of Americans and many Congress members in support of keeping under God in the Pledge. Late last year, the Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit, challenging the constitutionality of the phrase. Geoffrey Surtees with ACLJ says the courts should know thats not what the public wants.

We as a nation and as a culture and as a people have always believed that the rights of man come, not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.

Under God was added to the Pledge in 1954 after a stirring sermon prompted President Dwight D. Eisenhower to call for its inclusion. A Newsweek poll shows nine out of 10 Americans support that decision. And the backing of Congress members like Representative Lee Terry of Nebraska will only help the cause.  

I think its important that our elected officials the ones in Washington, the one in Congress or the Senate who has to confirm these judges need to show the public, by getting onto an amicus curie brief that we support them.

No one can predict the outcome of the case, but one thing is sure: Freedom from Religion is determined to take it all the way to the Supreme Court.