February 19, 2001: "In God We Trust" -- HB 220 incorporates national motto onto state flag

Dear Friends,

Representative John Mark Windle's (Livingston) "In God We Trust" bill (HB220) - which would redesign the Tennessee state flag by adding the words "In God We Trust" - is scheduled to be heard in the State Government sub-committee of the House State and Local Government committee on Wednesday, February 21. The committee begins at 10:30 am up in House.

If your representative sits on the House State Government sub-committee, please contact him/her immediately and urge him/her to vote against HB220. If you email, make sure to include your street address so your representative knows you live in their district. Even if you don't live in their district you can share your thoughts with the house subcommittee members; however, we recommend that you generally focus on the legislators who represent you.

There is no accompanying Senate sponsor and the filing deadline for bills has passed. However, because this is the first year of the two-year 102nd Tennessee General Session, we still need to ensure that HB220 does not pass.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

"In God We Trust" was first put on some coinage during the Civil War era as a morale booster for the troops. However, Congress did not mandate its appearance on currency until 1955 when McCarthyism was flourishing. Congressman Bennett (FL) believed that the motto would put God on our side in the fight against Communism.

The motto, although not referring to one particular religion, does refer to one God. This means the motto can be interpreted as an endorsement of mono-theist religions and the exclusion of Buddism, Confucianism, Hunduism, Jainism, Shinotism, Atheism, and Taoism. With the increasing diversity of religions in our society it is both bad policy and morally wrong to risk insulting those who are non-Christian.

Explain that the best way to protect everyone' right to practice their own religious faith is to keep government out of the business of promoting any religious doctrine. Explain to them the principle of separation of church and state is contained in the First Amendment of the US Constitution and in the Tennessee Constitution at Article I, Section 3 -- Freedom of worship --"that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; and that no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship."

The national motto "In God we trust" was added to the Georgia state flag last month; however, the focus of attention was on retaining, deleting or changing the size of the confederate flag. The text of the national motto was lost in the discussion of the confederacy.

ACTION NEEDED:

Please contact your legislator if he/she serves on the House State Government sub-committee -- We will notify you when you should contact other legislators.

Links to the members of the State Government subcommittee of the State and Local Governments committee are located at http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

Please let us know how your House Representative responds to your concerns. Thank you.

Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director