Federal Court dismisses case objecting to "In God We Trust" motto on U.S. currency

[rug]

7 page decision.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/167161662/Newdow-v-United-States

[struggle4progress]

1. That outcome was entirely predictable

... Plaintiffs are numismatics .. and others who allege that they suffer harm because of the appearance of the words “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency ... Plaintiffs urge that this court should disregard Supreme Court dicta ... Each circuit court that has considered the issue found no Establishment Clause violation in the motto’s placement on currency, finding ceremonial or secular purposes and no religious effect or endorsement ...Plaintiffs’ claims are not violative of constitutional guarantees ... Put another way, there is no showing of government coercion, penalty, or denial of benefits linked to the use of currency ...

[cbayer]

2. I think that's unfortunate.

[longship]

3. Unfortunate, but alas inevitable.

This is one of those issues which we are probably going to lose on.

I see a better chance with "under God" in the pledge, because that is coerced in that it is recited in schools all over the place.

But I agree, "e plurbus unum" (or however it's spelled) is a far better motto.

[cbayer]

4. Good point. I'll be interested in what they do in MA on the pledge issue.

I understand it's all symbolic, but it would be powerfully symbolic (and respectful) to remove it, imo.

[skepticscott]

5. Not a good use of resources

Last edited Wed Sep 11, 2013, 09:33 PM - Edit history (1)

No Supreme Court (and that's where this would ultimately have to end up to succeed) imaginable would hand down a decision saying that all US coin had to be withdrawn and replaced by coins without "In God we trust" on them. Even if they did, is it really worth the enormous resentment it would generate against atheists?

And I can't speak for other atheists, but I suspect that most are like me and don't walk around every day thinking "Ewwwwwwww..the money in my pocket had the word God on it!". I rarely think about it at all, and from a practical standpoint, it's just not that big a deal. In a perfect world, it wouldn't be there, and in a world with unlimited time, energy and political capitol to fight such battles, this is one that would be fought. But we don't live in that world. In the one we do live in, there are many far more egregious church-state violations every day that demand attention.

[AtheistCrusader]

6. All my money says 'Visa' on it.

The principle of it annoys me though. Same with the pledge, and the Motto, which was perfectly find before the red scare mcarthyites got ahold of it with a can of spray paint and vandalized it in the night.

[skepticscott]

7. Yes, the principle is annoying

But in practice, I'd rather expend resources to keep prayer out of public schools and Ten Commandments monuments and crosses off of public land.