From the Editor:
Fifteen years ago, following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, there was one song that became a rallying cry for our country. “God Bless America” was sung by Americans everywhere, regardless of their ethnic background or religious beliefs.
The most public places where this took place were at professional sporting events — before the start of NFL games and in the seventh inning stretch of MLB games. Fifteen years later, the practice still continues at many sporting venues in the United States.
Piggybacking on this practice, an elementary school in a local school district began saying “God bless America” following the Pledge of Allegiance, which, let’s not forget, also includes the word “god.”
But now, 15 years into this practice, the American Civil Liberties Union has said enough is enough, and Glenview Elementary School in Haddon Heights will no longer be saying “God bless America.”
The principal at the school, Sam Sassano, defended the practice, writing to parents that, “it has been our view that the practice is fundamentally patriotic in nature and does not invoke or advance any religious message, despite the specific reference to God’s blessing.” Alas, the school won’t be having its students say the phrase “God bless America” after they say “one nation, under God.”
Congratulations, ACLU, you have succeeded. While children will be taught about the founding of our country and the rights we as Americans have, they will be faced with the fact that if a group as big or as strong as the ACLU pressures you, you have no choice but to succumb to its wishes.
While our children will be learning about the dangers of bullying, they will be confronted with the fact that if you are big enough and if you bully hard enough, you can get what you want.
Thank you, ACLU. Keep fighting the good fight.
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Letters to the Editor, in no particular order:
Dear Editor,
I was appalled by the editorial in your Jan. 13 to 19 edition in which you sarcastically accuse the ACLU of being a “bully” because it takes the position that it is wrong to ask school children to say “God Bless America” in a local elementary school after the morning recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. You have it backwards. One of the greatest principles of our democracy is that its citizens do not have to follow any particular religious practice demanded by an arm or extension of the government. The last time I checked, a public school was an extension of the government, children attending it were citizens, and adherence to any particular religious practice was improper to demand in that setting. School children, like all citizens, have the right to engage in whatever religious practices they choose to outside of school. The bullying position is for a branch of government to require people to engage in any particular religious practice. Requiring the recitation of “God Bless America” is a religious practice.
Your editorial makes the bootstrap argument that it would be proper to have students say “God Bless America” since they already say “one nation under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. But the phrase “under God” was not part of the original Pledge of Allegiance and in all my years in public school, while I was happy to recite the pledge, I never voiced the phrase “under God” when I did so because it does not belong there. This does not mean, and never has, that I do not exercise my right to worship outside of government-sponsored settings.
It is simply wrong to suggest as you do in your editorial that “if a group as big or as strong as the ACLU pressures you, you have no choice but to succumb to its wishes.” The opposite is the case. If a government-connected entity pressures — much less requires — you to engage in a practice that is unconstitutional, that, surely, is “bully” behavior. The ACLU has always articulated the principle that no individual should be bullied into not engaging in constitutionally-protected practices, and has frequently advocated on behalf of a minority against a larger bully.
Leah McGarry Morris
Dear Editor,
Courage and patriotism appear to be alive and well in Haddon Heights and the Haddonfield Sun newspaper. Congratulations to principal Sam Sassano and the editors of the Sun for so clearly expressing their opinions regarding the “victory” of the ACLU over the rights of children in our public schools.
Thank you.
John and Carol Gercke
Dear Editor,
The writers of the editorial castigating the American Civil Liberties Union for their stance against having “God bless America” said after the Pledge of Allegiance most likely think they are being patriotic. I, on the other hand, applaud the letter to the editor of Leah McGarry Morris for making clear that saying “God bless America” has little to do with true patriotism.
Separation of church and state was one of the most important principles established by our Founding Fathers and is one reason our nation has stood as an inspiration to those fighting for the right to live freely as long as their beliefs don’t infringe on others’ rights.
The true basis of the United States is the conviction that it is wrong to foist one’s beliefs on others.
Rosemary Trombetta
