‘God’ back on US flag documents

Posted on October 11, 2007

A victory for now.

A 17-year-old Eagle Scout wanting to honor his grandfather’s “love of God, country and family” with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol has helped remove a ban on the word “God” in certificates that accompany these flags.

The acting Architect of the Capitol, Stephen Ayers, said Thursday he was revising guidelines on Capitol flag certificates because it was “beyond the scope of this agency’s responsibilities to censor messages from members of Congress.”

Last week Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, protested upon learning that the Architect’s office had removed the word “God” from the certificate of authenticity accompanying a flag 17-year-old Andrew Larochelle of Dayton wanted to give his grandfather.

The boy had asked that the certificate read: “This flag was flown in honor of Marcel Larochelle, my grandfather, for his dedication and love of God, country and family.”

But the Architect excised “God” from the inscription, saying it violated a policy, set in 2003, banning religious and political expressions on the certificates.

….

Turner said that despite the rules change he was going ahead with proposed legislation that would permanently allow the acknowledgment of God in certificates accompanying Capitol flags.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., is sponsoring an identical “Andrew Larochelle God, Family, and Country Act of 2007″ in the Senate.

But just like Allahpundit says:

Some Newdow-ish idiot will have the ACLU file suit to have God stricken from the certificates as a violation of the Establishment Clause, and he’ll win.

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» Filed Under 1st Amendment, ACLU, Church And State, News


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2 Responses to “‘God’ back on US flag documents”

  1. Miss Beth on October 11th, 2007 7:52 pm
  2. JJ Reynolds on October 12th, 2007 5:31 am

    We’ll always be burdened by the Michael Newdows (atheists) of the world, but “right and wrong” issues trancend ideologies every time. Thankfully we have young patriots like Andrew Larochelle who obviously know what is important to stand up for. The establishment clause people have a hernia over only suggests that CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW ESTABLISHING RELIGION, but those no-minds will almost never continue the First Amendment where it also states “and not abridge the free excersize thereof”. I surely hope the youths of America follow Andrew’s lead and speak up for their generation.