Washington congressman McDermott (D | WA-07) omits 'under God' from Pledge

[Ediacara]

Washington congressman omits 'under God' from Pledge

By MATTHEW DALY
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jim McDermott, a Washington Democrat who criticized President Bush while visiting Baghdad, omitted the words "under God" as he led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance this week.

McDermott of Seattle was one of seven lawmakers who voted against a House resolution last year condemning a federal appeals court ruling that reciting the pledge in public schools is unconstitutional because of its reference to God.

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, accused McDermott of "embarrassing the House and disparaging the majority of Americans who share the values expressed in the pledge."

More at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. woah

that took balls.

[Khephra]

2. Forced expressions of faith

undermine the entire basis for having a faith. It's a choice that one makes--to believe or not to believe.

Why in the hell are we upset with Islamics who push their religion on the masses while we are trying to do the same to our people with Christianity?

[dedhed]

3. As usual...

... F**K the minority!!

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, accused McDermott of "embarrassing the House and disparaging the majority of Americans who share the values expressed in the pledge."

What an ass-clown...

:bounce:

[denverbill]

4. Whatever happened to "if you don't like it, don't say it"?

Asswipe Republicans. Haven't I been hearing for the last 3 fucking years that if kids don't want to say 'under God' they don't have to? Isn't that what the assholes have been saying for the last 3 years?

And then a Congressmen doesn't say it, and they go ballistic?

If that's the way they behave when someone doesn't comply, it's pretty clear how much coercion is involved. Imagine being a 7 year old who doesn't want to say 'under God'. If an adult like Sessions reacts like this, imagine how much worse a classroom full of 7 year old would be?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. I think this episode may be useful in Newsom's case before the SCOTUS

As a shining example of peer coertion.

[denverbill]

7. That's kinda what I was thinking.

Unfortunately, I think that case has already been argued.

[LizW]

11. Exactly.

We should e-mail Sessions and thank him for proving the point raised by the plaintiff in the recent Supreme Court case.

[Just Me]

15. Yup,...Sessions just revealed the true colors of the right wing.

Hypocrite.

[bloom]

6. good for him

we need more brave acts like that.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

8. AAAH! AMERICA IS DOOMED!!!

Just kidding.
:evilgrin:

[neverforget]

9. That's great! Good job Rep McDermott. I think we need to call and

support him before the freepers crucify him for not acknowledging God today.

[LisaM]

10. I called his office (he is my Congressman)

and said how happy I was about this (and also told them that whenever I tried to voice my complaint about "Under God" to Cantwell or Murray, I ran into a brick wall.)

She was glad to hear from someone in his district. She said most of the calls were angry and most were from out of state.

[Frodo]

12. Unlikely to hurt him

The Washington 7th is not a "competitive" seat by any stretch of the imagination.

I think he bested is last opponent better than 3-1. he doesn't draw "state senator so-and-so" or "mayor whatshisface". His last opponent was just "teacher" (not that we don't need more teachers in the house).

[maxsolomon]

13. fine, but don't backpedal, jim.

with the 7th so firmly ABB, you don't need to apologise.

you can get as nasty as you want - the only way you'll get unseated is by a green!

[dolstein]

14. McDermott is an idiot

He has become Exhibit A in the Republican case that Democrats are a bunch of God hating pacifist socialists.

If he wanted to do something like this in his district, fine. But he chose to do this in a national forum at a time when the values of the party's presidential nominee are under attack.

Seriously, the Republicans would just LOVE the opportunity to have this election be about the pledge of allegiance. And McDermott is just stupid enough to go along with that.

Unlike a lot of DU'ers around here, I don't keep a list of all the so-called Democrats who ought to be kicked out of the party. But if I did, then surely McDermott would be near the top.

[Bigmack]

16. The repubs are never going to ....

... do anything re McDermott except hate him. He's got nothing to lose, and neither do we. The repubs don't do compromise. Unless Mc raises his hands and praises Geeezus, he's Satan incarnate.

My high school students noted that I didn't say "Undergod" in the pledge, and I told them I didn't have to, and neither did they. Kids wanted to know if I was afraid I'd get in trouble. I had to do a whole mini-unit on the pledge and Undergod and the whole thing. Lots were surprised that the phrase was added so late in our history and that it was related to the McCarthy days.

It was a great "teachable moment".

[Ediacara]

17. He's an idiot for saying the Pledge as written?

Hmmm I thought that the idiots are those that thought adding two words about God would actually battle communism...

[dolstein]

20. He's an idiot for handing the GOP a big, fat juicy wedge issue

NT

[bobbyboucher]

19. The "Let's Be Them" crowd weighs in.

Why don't we all just become Repubes and get it over with. To hell with what we think, cause it only makes us look bad to the Republican maroon army, so lets just join up.

[dolstein]

21. You may believe taking "under God" out of the pledge is more important

the finding jobs for the millions of people who are unemployed, paying of the trillions of dollars in debt that will otherwise be passed on to our children and our children's children, than creating a world class system of primary and secondary education, than making sure than everyone has affordable health care, than finding a viable substitute for fossil fuels, etc.

In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if many DU'ers felt that removing "under God" from the pledge, or perhaps legalizing third trimester abortions, is more important than all of these things. But most Americans -- indeed, most Democrats, by a large margin, have different priorities. But that won't stop the Republicans from trying to brand the Democratic Party as a bunch of Godless baby killers. Anything to keep them from having the defend Bush's abysmal record on jobs, health care, homeland security and the environment.

But you can always count on some idiot like McDermott to do the Republicans a big favor. And you can always count on DU'ers to rush to his defense. Sorry, but I don't forgive the kind of political stupidity that has allowed Republicans to gain control of the federal government despite the fact that most Americans don't support the Republican agenda. And the Republicans will continue to stay in power as long as there are left-wing nuts like McDermott out there to reinforce perceptions that the Democratic Party doesn't share the values of regular people.

[trapper914]

18. A co-worker brought this up today...

I told him, "That's the way I say it." (I'm agnostic)

He says, "Then you're not saying the Pledge."

I said, "Thanks for agreeing with the point I've been making for the last two years."

I can't show my loyalty to this country without expressing a belief in God. Sure, I can include "under God" in my recitation, but since I don't really believe it, doesn't it somehow render the pledge moot?