'In God We Trust' Motto Part 2

In our continuing series (who would have thought) of "In God We Trust" stories, the new wedge issue is born. I wish I were making this up.

“Porterville city officials plan to ask voters to put God back into local
government -- or at least on city stationery -- with the words 'In God We
Trust.' A measure on the June 3 ballot would declare those words the city's
official motto. There is one public opponent.”

“The motto idea started with Council Member Pedro ‘Pete’ Martinez. While the words ‘In God We Trust’ are already on display in the City Council chambers, Martinez wanted to go a step further, letting voters make the phrase an official motto. Many…like the idea of having a motto that reflects the faith of Porterville's Christian citizens.”

I hate to state the obvious, but these insecure “politicians of faith” have an apparent self esteem problem.

“Council Member Eddie Hernandez said, ‘We need to show we believe in
a higher being."

Yes, the need “to show you believe” is what’s behind this shredding of, and dangerous ignorance of, the Constitution and the rights of others. And the best way to pass something so exclusionary is to leave it up to the majority in the form of a ballot measure, bypassing the elected representatives who were sworn to uphold the constitution. Porterville’s faith was so strong that they were willing break the law (not God’s law).

“(In a)City Council meeting in 2005, residents urged officials to continue
the practice despite a state court ruling against sectarian prayer.”

We should note, that the courts have already determined the phrase as generic enough not to violate the establishment clause of the Constitution.

Sure there are people in this country that don't have a belief in God, and are most certainly considered citizens, but not if this country slowly and inevitably changes public opinion. It bares repeating from a previous post on this very “In God We Trust” issue.

“Bakersfield Council Member Jacquie Sullivan’s organization ‘In God We Trust
America,’ has signed up more than 30 California cities like Porterville to display the phrase in their council chambers. Sullivan said ‘It's the highest form of patriotism. I feel that it is committed to the values our country was founded on.”

God is patriotism.