Editorial short takes
The ICLEI factor
When Roanoke County supervisors elected Richard Flora as board chairman last January, he said it would be his final turn at controlling the gavel. The Republican will retire when his term expires this December, leaving his Hollins District seat up for grabs in the November election. …
A change in the wind?
Well, the country didn’t go off the fiscal cliff, at least not quite yet. Along with preserving some middle-class tax cuts in its mad scramble this week to close a deal, Congress extended $77 billion in corporate tax breaks – including the wind energy production tax credit that was set to go out with the old year. …
Six years was enough for Webb
Newly retired Sen. Jim Webb wasn’t the sort of fellow who enjoyed standing in front of TV cameras blabbering about nothing. His decision to run for the U.S. Senate in 2006 was more of a surprise than his decision to limit his political career to a single six-year term. …
January 5, 2013 - 9:47 AM
Americans have said the Pledge of Allegiance and the word God since this country was founded. In God We Trust is printed on every dollar. When someone moves to America from another country I feel they should accept the way we do things here. We, as God trusting Americans, should not have to change our ways to please others. If they do not like the way we do things they are free to move from America. I hear words everyday that offend me, but I must accept them, for all have the ‘freedom of speech’. I expect the same in return. As an example, with many Americans being obese, hearing the word ‘fat’ may offend them. Is that a reason why others should not be allowed to say that word? If not, then why shouldn’t I and others be allowed to say ‘God’ if we wish to?
#1 – Sadly, Catherine, freedom of speech seems to be a one-way street. Too many folks demand you accept what they say (and have the courts behind them), but will do whatever they can to shut you up.
Who has said you or anyone else are not, or should not be allowed to say “God”? What ARE you talking about? Specifically, since you mentioned them, what people from “another country” have come here and asked not to hear the word “God”? This is not making any sense to me.
Wow, Catherine, your post is so filled with inaccuracies, and it looks like Michael fell right in line.
“Americans have said the Pledge of Allegiance and the word God since this country was founded.”
The Pledge has NOT been said since the founding of the country. It was written in 1892 and adopted as the official pledge in 1942. And it didn’t even contain the words “under God” until the 1950s.
“In God We Trust is printed on every dollar.”
In God We Trust wasn’t used on coins until the Civil War and didn’t appear on bills until 1956. So you missed that date on that one by just a tiny amount.
Anyway, glad to help provide a little accurate info.
#4 – I “fell in line”, gdad? Maybe in your skewed view of the world.
Members of the Left have done everything they can to take God out of our lives. That’s a fact.
Who has pushed to take the word ‘God’ out of the Pledge of Allegiance? It sure as hell wasn’t a group of Conservatives.
Catherine may have been wrong about dates, but the gist of her message is absolutely correct.
@5 Michael, forgive me but I have to disagree. SOME on the left want God out of Government forums. We atheists would like to see that notion gone entirely of course.
But not ALL on the left want that. Sherman Lee is apparently a minister and I thought I heard David Bowers is too. I don’t know if that’s correct.
But there is a difference and subtlety worth keeping in mind between what I’ve said and your blanket statement.
“Catherine may have been wrong about dates, but the gist of her message is absolutely correct.”
People like Catherine have the views they have in part because they mistakenly think the U. S. has ALWAYS been like this (whatever “this” is), when in effect a lot of this “God” stuff came about because of the whole Cold War mania. By god, you’d better prove you’re a better American by saying “god” a lot and covering your home in American flags. Spreading this misinformation does nobody any good.
I’m a part of the “left” (or at least you would consider me so) and I’ve done nothing at all to take god out of your life. Last time I looked (remember Christmas just a couple of weeks ago?), Christianity still permeated this country.
It is not the fault of the left that some people cannot distinguish between legitimate disagreement on the role of religion in governance, public government places/activities and the “taking out” or “removal of” God. First of all, that is not even possible and second, it is not accurate, nor “a fact”.