ACTION ALERT
Urgent: House expected to vote this week on stripping the courts of their power to decide Pledge of Allegiance cases
Update: Although we won in committee, we lost on the House floor. The House voted 260 to 167 to pass HR 2389, the so-called Pledge Protection Act. To see how your member of Congress voted, go to http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll385.xml A "NAY" voting member of Congress should be thanked, and a "YEA" voter should be reprimanded.
Jun. 25, 2006 - The Secular Coalition for America expects HR 2389 to be brought to the floor of the House for a vote this Monday. This bill would strip all federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, of the power to decide the Constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance or its recitation. While awaiting the conclusion of committee action on HR 2389, the Secular Coalition for America now believes the legislation will be brought to the floor without a committee vote.
If passed, this legislation would set a dangerous precedent for chipping away at the checks and balances that our three independent branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) have given our nation over the past two hundred plus years.
In 1954 Congress corrupted the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance (written in 1892) by adding the words "under God" between "one nation" and "indivisible." The founders of our nation kept the Constitution free of references to a god or gods. In this tradition, it is not surprising that the original Pledge developed as an expression of patriotism -- not religious faith -- which also made no mention of a god. Some members of Congress are intent on tying the concepts of faith and patriotism together, thereby making nontheists second class citizens. If this legislation is passed it would set the stage for further limitations on the Court's exercise of power to decide First Amendment religion cases like public school prayers, legislative prayers, ten commandments, national motto, etc. leading to a tyranny of the majority.
We urge you to contact your Representative and urge her/him to vote against HR 2389.
Take a stand: Contact your Representative in the House and urge her/him to vote against HR 2389.
You can contact your Representative through her/his website or through the Legislator/Media Lookup by Zip Code.
Below you will find a sample letter regarding this issue. Please feel free to adapt it to your voice, and to add any additional information of importance to you:
Dear Representative ________________,
I urge you to vote "No" on HR 2389 which would strip all federal courts, including the highest court in our nation, the U.S. Supreme Court, of the ability to decide the Constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance or its recitation.
Our nation's founders deliberately kept the Constitution free of references to a god. In this tradition, the original Pledge written in 1892 and developed as an expression of patriotism -- not religious faith -- also made no mention of a god. As an American who does not believe in the existence of a god, I strongly oppose the efforts of some members of Congress to unite the concepts of faith and patriotism, thereby making me a second-class citizen.
This legislation, attacking my Constitutional right to challenge the use of "under God" through the courts, also violates the separation of powers. Congress must not encroach on the judiciary's power to resolve Constitutional issues. Without such checks and balances, the rights of minorities guaranteed in the Bill of Rights would be meaningless; the Constitution could not be enforced; and a tyranny of the majority would ensue.
Sincerely,
Your signature