Shrieks of Joy for “In God We Trust”

When the city council of Oceanside, California, voted to hang a small plaque bearing the words “In God We Trust” under the city seal on the wall behind the council dais, observers reacted with shrieks of joy and high-fives. Shrieks of joy? Over a plaque?

NC Times reports:

"It's a constant reminder that there is something greater in this universe that we must serve," Councilman Jack Feller said of the motto. "It's a patriotic thing to do and the right thing to do."

Jack Feller is being quite clear that the phrase doesn’t simply refer to the religious beliefs of past Americans; instead, it’s a government-endorsed and government-sponsored statement that there is “something greater” in the universe. Moreover, it isn’t simply a statement that this “something greater” exists but also that it is something “we must serve,” thus expressing a particular relationship between us and this “something greater.”

Thank you, Jack Feller, for providing a succinct explanation as to why this phrase is unconstitutional.

The crowd grew more and more raucous as the discussion rolled on, finally culminating with a standing ovation with thunderous cheers and joyous shrieks as the council approved the motto. After the vote, residents could be seen high-fiving and hugging outside the council chambers. ... [One] speaker, noting the religious tones in many of the speeches, said, "I didn't know I was coming to a prayer meeting."

Well, Jack Feller makes it quite clear that this was a prayer meeting — after all, it was a meeting about how the government should express beliefs about their relationship to God.

The new design ... will not be paid for by the city. Instead of public funds, the money will be donated to the city by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, through his Issa Family Foundation. Issa first offered to pay for the plaque in December 2002 after the council rejected placing the plaque in the council chambers.

Remember Darrell Issa? Yes, it’s the same Darrell Issa who spearheaded the drive to recall California Governor Grey Davis which led to the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger and who recently described the war in Iraq as the first step in a “war to liberate more than a billion people,” an apparently reference to all Muslims and, hence, an assertion that people must be “liberated” from Islam. In God Issa Trusts, right?

Read More:

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