GaryP

Nikolai--

Don't do anything you are not comfortable with. You are the one who knows what the situation is and you are correct that it is a state law.

Perhaps a letter to your state representative or senator or to the governor would make you feel as if you are voicing your opinion without the danger of the backlash.

Above all, take care of yourself. This is a difficult time, especially for non-believers in school.

Alonzo Fyfe

Even though this is a state law, there is much that your local school officials may do, from calling their legislators and saying, "I think this law is a bad idea," to challenging the law themselves.

Given your circumstances, you could still try the following:

Write down your argument against the posting of "In God We Trust." Keep it calm, rational, and deliberate, but also keep it personal. "I fear that...," "I think that...". Make sure that the reader knows that they are reading about a person who is actually affected by the law, and not some impersonal philosophical essay.

State in your letter that, as a student, you fear for your well-being (which is why you remain anonymous), and that you think it is inappropriate for the school to take actions which put students at risk in this way. That this is because the motto implicitly endorses retaliation against any who would offer to disagree.

You may also send a copy to the news media -- not so that they can publish it, but on the off chance that they may assign somebody to look into the matter. And, of course, include the school paper.

Remember, it is perfectly legitimate to deliver such a document anonymously. Perhaps this will lower the chance that it will be taken seriously. But, then again, perhaps it will reinforce the message contained within.

Make sure that you answer the question, "But it has been on our money for years, and it has not caused any problems."

I believe that a reasonable answer would be that the psychological impact of the phrase in small print on a coin can be expected to be different than large text on the wall of the building, the way that a whisper differs from a shout. The posting of the motto on the school wall literally shouts to the students that the government wants them to consider the atheists among them to be outsiders, as not true and proper members of the body politic. "We trust in God; they do not." While the same phrase on the money merely whispered that theme.

Also, I would recommend writing the letter in the tone of "I am asking for your assistance, as an official in this school charged with the protecting the welfare and rights of the students, in this matter . . ." instead of "I demand that something be done about this."

Even if the law does not get changed, you may be able to prompt some sort of response -- ranging from a discussion in government class as to whether the motto violates the 1st amendment, to a speech by the principle that he is posting the motto because the state requires it, but wishes it to be known that he does not agree with the law or the motivation behind it.

Having been subject to a great deal of physical abuse in school merely because I said that I did not believe in God, I can fully understand if you wish to be silent.

But somewhere in your state there is likely to be a child who will be made to suffer as I was. And that will be made all the more likely by laws such as this.

I wish you well.

Bill

In another thread, there was a link to <a href="http://users2.ev1.net/~turton/constitution.htm" target="_blank">a page summarizing religious freedom, state-by-state</a>. Virginia gets a clean bill of health by echoing the US Constitution in its own Bill of Rights: Based upon the above, I think that you could sue on the basis that "In God We Trust" establishes a "religious test" (belief in God) which divides the student (and teacher) population into "believers" and "unbelievers" and, as such, it is unconstitutional under both the Virginia Bill of Rights and the US Constitution.

== Bill

[ July 25, 2002: Message edited by: Bill ]</p>

Grumpy

How lucky for them that there is a de facto history of established religion in this country. Which one was it again? Oh yes. "Ceremonial Deism."

I've heard that Utah is, ironically, quite scrupulous about overt government endorsements of religion. Which is handy, since the history of the Beehive State is suffused with religion. Therefore, any publicly-funded displays of religious material carry the cachet of "historical" or "educational." And they're not the only ones.

Why is it so difficult to understand that the First Amendment is a wonderful tool for protecting religious minorities from the tyranny of the majority? (Oh yes -- because the majority doesn't give a rip. )

Fiach

Keep your bloody gob shut, mate. If you mention that motto, the fundies will want to alter that as well. It will be: E Pluribus et Deo Unum

Don't give the buggers another cause.

Fiach
PS My Latin grammar may be rusty.

Fiach

I heard that someone on an American produced special discussing dyslexia and learning disorders talked about 10% having dyslexia.

Does that mean the same for Virginia? If so, count on at least 10% of those signs in the schools to say "In Dog We Trust" which is a mighty wise motto, unless you have a Rotweiler (sp?}.

Fiach

god-free-pen

I sent the following letter to Robert Marshall, the legislator who proposed the motto in the first place and who pushed it through all the way till it became Virginia law. His E-Mail address is:

del_Marshall@house.state.va.us

ROBERT MARSHALL:

Your assertion that America is a nation in which all the people "trust God" is

NOT TRUE!

By legislating this religious sign you have effectly divided our people into a legally approved group who hold an unjustified trust in a 2000 year old fantasy and atheists who are outcasts because they have reached a reasoned conclusion there is no God. Our government was founded on these principles:

Centuries ago kings were "crowned by God"...not by their subjects and sat upon their thrones "by the Will of God". The people were forced to support both thrones and altars, their destiny was to work and obey God.

Let me give you a bit of our history since you are apparently ignorant of it.

In 1776 our forefathers instituted what was called at the time the "great experiment" to get "God" out of government.

They declared that "ALL GOVERNMENTS DERIVE THEIR JUST POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED" (The Declaration of Independence). The Constitution of the United States is a secular document, our government derives its'powers from the people, and the people can govern themselves without God. That meant all the people,not just Christians. The ink on that wonderful document was hardly dry when religious zealots tried to insert "Jesus Christ" into it, but they were rebuffed. The original document can never be changed, it will remain godless forever.

Religious zealots have tried to give our government a religious motif, putting "In God We Trust" on our money in 1864 (instigated by one Reverend Watkinson) instead of "E Pluribus Unum" which joined us all as one people and the notorious "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thomas Jefferson said it best: "There is not one redeeming feature in the superstition of Christianity, it has made one half of the world fools and the other half hypocrites."

The government of God was first tried in New England. The result : Quakers and "witches" were burned and hanged. Next, the government of God was tried in the South where slavery was regarded a divine perogative....Deut20, Vs11-14.
Slave traders used the bible to defend buying and selling people.

The government of God is alive in Afghanistan, Palestine, Northern Island, all the Muslim countries and in Saudi Arabia women are routinely killed for not wearing "hejab". Israel's secular people struggle against radical Orthodox clerics.

The current flap is over the issue of government agents (teachers) leading atheist children to say "under God" if they are to particpate in a patriotic observance. Students may pray anywhere they wish, at graduation, on the football field and saying the Pledge, but atheists WILL NOT allow teachers to force, coerce or otherwise impose this practice on their children.

FREEDOM FROM RELIGION has been taken from atheists because we didn't want to offend anyone by asking for it. That was a mistake as there are now unceasing efforts like yours and the Religious Reich to indoctrinate our children into the superstitious world of religion much as Hitler led Germany's children to Nazi-ism. Teaching children the brutal, hateful and primitive parts of the Bible amounts to child abuse. It tells children they must obey God to be good people. It tells children they cannot be considered good by respecting the lives and rights of others if they are atheist. We have never understood why people who firmly believe they are doing "God's Will" are regarded as good no matter what horrible behavior they engage in. The most heinous crimes are committed because "God" told someone to do it.

Those who wish to live "Under God" like you, are telling us that:

"GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE" is not enough.

Mageth

THe second is that this is a STATE law, therefore as far as I know the school board can do absolutely nothing to affect this.

School districts generally have a considerable amount of anonymity and self-government. Although guided by state law, and generally required to follow it, school districts can, and often do, fight against state laws they feel are wrong.

The problem is persuading the school board to do something. That would require considerable public support in the district to put pressure on the board.

Grumpy

You know what they'll say. That the government may not be founded on God, but the nation is.

uhcord

Going to be a senior this up and coming school year, and you can bet your ass that I am going to do something about this. I have many ideas, but please keep giving Nikolai and I feedback.

I have a feeling this last highschool year might be a bit fun