"In God We Trust" on our money is a minor thing to many. Even many atheists don't care much about it. I'm not among those people[1]. It's something I care quite a bit about, because I don't think it's an inconsequential matter. It's too often used by Christians as their evidence of the completely false claim that we're a Christian nation.
Getting it fixed is not an easy task, but persistence on such matters is what gets things done. It's why I carry the Sharpie (and have successfully gotten other to do the same). And it's why I've signed this petition on whitehouse.gov[2].
But that's not the point. The point is to keep pushing to restore our country to the secular nation it was founded as instead of the place where Christians are so comfortable pushing their religion into government they pass laws to allow people to say "Merry Christmas"[4] even though it wasn't at all illegal. I'd rather be a secular nation than a nation that elects people into office who oppose abortion because they think fetuses masturbate[5]. Little things like this can actually make a difference if done often enough, by enough of us.
If enough people signed these things, even the terribly written ones like this one[6], they could have as much impact as atheist monuments[7]. After all, these petitions do sometimes make news[8]. Even for non-serious requests[9].
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Getting it fixed is not an easy task, but persistence on such matters is what gets things done. It's why I carry the Sharpie (and have successfully gotten other to do the same). And it's why I've signed this petition on whitehouse.gov[2].
Sure, it's got some spelling errors, and it's the wrong place to make such a request since it would require an act of Congress. And, even if it were something within the President's power, it's not something we could realistically expect from Barack Obama[3].Please restore the original moto "E Pluribus Unum" as well as placing in on currency again.The current moto added to currency in 1864 and as the moto in 1965 only serves as to be a decisive point between different religions or the lack there of. The original moto meaning One From Many is much more fitting and celibates the cultural diversity that make the United States so unique.Additionally this is a clear violation of the First Amendment which: "prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion"
But that's not the point. The point is to keep pushing to restore our country to the secular nation it was founded as instead of the place where Christians are so comfortable pushing their religion into government they pass laws to allow people to say "Merry Christmas"[4] even though it wasn't at all illegal. I'd rather be a secular nation than a nation that elects people into office who oppose abortion because they think fetuses masturbate[5]. Little things like this can actually make a difference if done often enough, by enough of us.
If enough people signed these things, even the terribly written ones like this one[6], they could have as much impact as atheist monuments[7]. After all, these petitions do sometimes make news[8]. Even for non-serious requests[9].
1. http://aparticularblogbyaparticularatheist.blogspot.com/2013/03/why-i-carry-sharpie.html
2. https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/restore-national-moto-e-pluribus-unum/58JXzNBB
3.
4. http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/06/14/18959929-freedom-from-religion
5. http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/06/michael-burgess-fetus-masturbation/66345/
6. We already know you don't need good grammar to get what you want from Washington.
7. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/north-fla-county-atheist-monument-19343424#.UcEqFPnVC8A
8. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/10/18886451-pardon-edward-snowden-petition-seeks-white-house-response
9. http://theweek.com/article/index/238746/the-white-houses-nerd-delighting-death-star-petition-response
Good find. I shared on my blog too, linking back here, of course.
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