Todd Starnes: Pledge of Allegiance flap latest example of left's plan to eradicate American values, traditions
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Every day after the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance someone at Sabold Elementary School in Springfield, Pennsylvania would proclaim, "God bless America."
But that patriotic tradition has come to an abrupt halt after the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a complaint -- allegedly on behalf of a disgruntled parent.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based group of atheists, agnostics and freethinkers, said the phrase "God bless America" violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
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"The repeated recitation of a religious message in the school setting violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits public schools from advancing, supporting, or promoting religion," FFRF representative Christopher Line wrote in a letter to the school district.
Folks, this is a classic example of how leftists are attempting to eradicate American values and traditions. I write about this dangerous movement in my new book, "Culture Jihad: How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"When a public school regularly proclaims, 'God bless America,' it sends a message to its students that the school is endorsing and compelling belief in God," the FFRF wrote.
The Springfield School District immediately capitulated to the demands of the aggrieved atheists and ordered schools to cease and desist asking the Almighty to bless our land. They did not return my calls but their attorney did send a letter to the out-of-town atheists.
Atheists want you to believe that every time someone utters “God bless America” a spontaneous church revival breaks out in the schoolhouse and children convert to the Christian faith.
"Sabold Elementary School has ceased its practice of announcing the slogan, 'God bless America' over the loudspeaker immediately following the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance," school district attorney Mark Sereni wrote. "None of the schools in the School District currently engages in this practice."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As you might imagine, that news sent the perpetually offended atheists dancing in the streets.
“We’re gratified that Springfield officials listened to us so clearly,” FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement on the organization's website. “Young elementary school children don’t need to be coerced into affirming God’s name every morning.”
The school's ban on "God bless America" has been met with anger and frustration among patriots and legal experts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It’s hard to know which is more disturbing: that activists would claim saying ‘God Bless America’ violates the First Amendment or school officials that surrender to this kind of bullying," First Liberty Institute attorney Jeremy Dys told Starnes Country.
"Phrases like ‘God Bless America’ and ‘In God We Trust’ are as much a part of our history as ‘under God’ is a part of our Pledge of Allegiance—and the U.S. Constitution protects their use, on or off school property," he said.
But the atheists want you to believe that every time someone utters “God bless America” a spontaneous church revival breaks out in the schoolhouse and children convert to the Christian faith.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}What kind of vulgar, dare I say, godless people, would object to American school children uttering a phrase that has been spoken for generations by presidents of both political parties?
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Would the atheists prefer that we not ask for the Almighty’s blessings?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As for the school district, what kind of a punishment will be handed down to the kid who shouts “God bless you” when a classmate sneezes?