Press Release

Recall Election Muddies Church/State

For Immediate Release - Contact: Roy Speckhardt (202) 238-9088
rspeckhardt@americanhumanist.org - www.americanhumanist.org

(Washington, DC) The AHA firmly supports David Habecker in his principled stand that the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. “Habecker has been thrown out of his elected post, not for his performance in public office, but for his private beliefs,” states Tony Hileman, executive director of the American Humanist Association.

Habecker, an Estes Park, Colorado town trustee, was voted out of office in a recall election for not reciting the Pledge during board meetings. A freethinker, Habecker’s patriotism was unnecessarily called into question because he decided to stand by his principles. Article VI of the U.S. Constitution states “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

David Habecker is surprisingly upbeat about the result and said, "Tolerance isn't a word we say, it's a word we must learn to live. I sincerely hope the long term impact will be positive in making people aware and tolerant of other opinions."

AHA Humanist Pioneer awardee Michael Newdow, had this to say "This illustrates perfectly why the Framers understood the need for an Establishment Clause, and what happens when government violates that clause. Individuals with religious scruples are forced to either compromise those scruples or suffer harms. When government takes sides in religious matters, harm is the inevitable result."

Hileman continues, “By holding a recall election on the basis of a public official’s refusal to take a religious oath, the spirit of our supreme law has been broken. The Pledge utterly fails the test of government neutrality toward religion, and Humanists will continue to work toward the day when it is returned to its pre-1954 wording without this sectarian addition.”

This recall election proves that the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance cannot be relegated to "patriotic ceremony" but is a clear government sponsorship of a particular religious view. “The practice of reciting the Pledge in public meetings disregards the millions of Americans who identify with no religion, as well as faithful Buddhists, Hindus, and others who do not subscribe to this monotheistic pledge,” adds Hileman.

The American Humanist Association is the oldest and largest Humanist organization in the nation. The AHA is dedicated to ensuring a voice for those with a positive nontheistic outlook, based on reason and experience, which embraces all of humanity .

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