By Bill Fancher and Jerry Bacon
July 26, 2002

(AgapePress) - A major effort is under way to protect the Pledge of Allegiance and the national motto through a proposed new Constitutional amendment. The effort was announced yesterday on Capitol Hill by Congressman Chip Pickering of Mississippi.

"How fortunate we are," Pickering said, "to stand together as we begin a national campaign to protect and promote the Pledge to the Flag and our national motto -- 'In God We Trust' -- and to protect it by a Constitutional amendment."

Pat Trueman, a spokesperson for the American Family Association in the nation's capitol, spoke of the need for such an amendment. He said AFA knows that there are millions of Americans throughout this country who want to protect the religious heritage of this country and that "want God -- Almighty God -- to still reign sovereign over our land and to protect us and we want to honor Him."

AFA's www.WePledge.com web site is receiving thousands upon thousands of online registrants to the "We Pledge" campaign calling for the Constitutional amendment. It has quickly become one of the most effective ways for citizens to voice their concern to Congress on this important issue.

Other voices crying in the wilderness
A group of about a dozen Congressmen and women joined with Congressman Pickering and the American Family Association in calling for a Constitutional Amendment to protect these hallowed words from the courts

Pennsylvania Republican Joe Pitts is one of many in Congress who would like to see an amendment enacted that would protect the Pledge of Allegiance and the national motto: In God We Trust.

Pitts was at the Capitol Hill press conference yesterday when the amendment effort was unveiled. He said the purpose is obvious. "This amendment," he said, "will clarify the constitution and will re-establish it's original meaning and intent, at least, as far as the Pledge and the motto go."

Republican Robin Hayes of North Carolina declared this congressional action is necessary. "There are times, unfortunately," Hayes said, "when the Congress has to stand up and refresh the memories of the judiciary and the bureaucrats and protect our Godly heritage. Our founding fathers knew what they were doing when they established this country on Christian principles."

According to Hayes, we need the amendment to remind us that we are endowed with all that we have by our Creator -- and not by our government.

The proposal's main sponsor Chip Pickering will be working along with Pitts and others to line up a formidable list of co-sponsors who will try and force a floor vote on the amendment by the end of the current legislative session.

And from a liberal voice
The Associated Press reported that Governor Gray Davis of California has weighed-in on the matter as well. Governor Davis said "the pledge is not a prayer or religious exercise -- but rather, a vocal expression of patriotism and duty."

Governor Davis also notes the U.S. Supreme Court begins its day with the words "God save the United States and this Honorable Court."

State officials in California are asking the federal appeals court to reverse last month's astonishing ruling that the Pledge is unconstitutional because of the words "...under God" that were added to the pledge in 1954.

The controversial decision stems from suit filed by a California atheist who said his daughter should not be confronted with the pledge. But the girl's mother, as it turns out, says she as a Christian, does not object to the pledge and neither does the daughter who was the object of the plaintiff's suit. The state's motion asks the court to consider that fact in rehearing the case.

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