On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected to hear the challenge to remove “In God We Trust” from all U.S. currency. Michael Newdow, who has been fighting all his life to remove the national motto and any Christian symbolism in government, was attempting to argue on behalf of atheists.
Past cases involving Newdow include attempting to halt the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance due to the phrase, “under God,” which made it all the way to the Supreme Court in 2004. He also fought to remove the same phrase in the inaugurations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Essentially, Newdow has been at legal war with Christianity for years.
In the recent petition to the Supreme Court, Newdow claimed that the phrase was not only divise, but also exclusive, where atheists couldn’t be included. He also mentioned that the phrase turned atheists into “political outsiders.”
It’s sad to see people like Michael Newdow who get “triggered” by the smallest things. But his petition is also a reminder that the fight to remove Christian symbolism in everyday American society is prevalent. Many point to the corporate removal of the phrase, “Merry Christmas,” in favor of “Happy Holidays.” The cultural and religious tug-of-war is present in many other situations, as shown by the recent petition regarding U.S. currency.
The phrase “In God We Trust” has been on American currency since 1957, and is the official motto of the U.S. Despite the polarization of American politics, and the hard times the country has gone through at times, the motto “In God We Trust” has always been a needed reminder that America is guided with a higher purpose.
It’s a shame that some people spend their whole lives fighting so hard to remove something so special and important. The motto is integral and even more crucial as Americans are becoming less and less religious. As the great President Ronald Reagan once said, “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
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