Judge in New Hampshire upholds ‘under God’ phrase in Pledge of Allegiance

News Resources Tools Columns Documents ACI Group

Contenidos del sub-menu

Comments: 5

Michael Newdow

Concord, N.H., Oct 4, 2009 / 06:09 pm (CNA).- A federal judge in New Hampshire has thrown out an atheist activist’s lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in Hanover, New Hampshire public schools. He reasoned that the Pledge is voluntary and is not a prayer.

Activist Michael Newdow’s suit was dismissed by Judge Steven McAuliffe in response to a motion of Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. The motion was filed on behalf of three Hanover families and the Knights of Columbus, the Becket Fund reports.

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, led the effort to add the phrase “under God” to the Pledge 55 years ago.

The Becket Fund argued that the phrase conveys a foundational idea in American law and political philosophy: that human rights are inalienable and that the power of the state is limited because those rights exist prior to the state and come from a source beyond it.

The same argument was made to the San Francisco-based Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a similar lawsuit also brought by Newdow. The decision in that case is still pending.

“Judge McAuliffe couldn’t have gotten it more right when he said that the Pledge is not a prayer – it is an ‘affirmation of adherence to the principles for which the Nation stands.’ And one of those principles is that our inalienable rights are not created by the State but endowed by a Creator,” said Becket Fund president Kevin “Seamus” Hasson.

Comments: 5

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Carmelo
Lake Grove, N.Y. USA 10/06/2009 08:17 AM EST

Thank you Judge Steven McAuliffe for reminding some people about the reality.

Published by: Valerio
South Africa 10/05/2009 10:03 PM EST

Atheists accuse theists of intolerance, but the opposite is the case. Nobody would deny atheists their right not to believe, but they do not have the right to impose that we should not. That is intolerance, AND bigotry.

Published by: Mary
Fort Worth, TX USA 10/05/2009 06:15 PM EST

That judge is a shining example of following the constitution. God Bless him. We need more like him. Lucky New Hampshire!

Published by: poptoy
Eunice, Louisiana 10/05/2009 12:13 PM EST

Thank GOD for a Judge with good old common sense.

Published by: Diana Wells
Harrisburg, PA, USA 10/05/2009 11:45 AM EST

Thank God for a judge who inteprets the law and doesn't try to make law from the bench. Law making is for Congress...heaven help us there though.

ADD A COMMENT (Your e-mail will NOT be published):


NAME:
CITY/STATE/COUNTRY:
EMAIL:
COMMENT:

PLEASE ENTER THE SECURITY CODE DISPLAYED ABOVE:
Chars:

* Thanks for your comments. The number of messages that can be online is limited. Length should not exceed 1500 characters. CNA reserves the right to edit messages for content and tone. Comments and opinions expressed by users do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of CNA. CNA will not publish comments with abusive language, insults or links to other pages.

ADVERTISING
CNA does not necessarily endorse these advertisers. Please proceed with discretion. If you feel that a website announced has inappropriate or offensive content, please send it by e-mail to catholicna@catholicna.com