Press Release

Humanists Support Removal of “Under God” From Pledge

For Immediate Release - Contact: Roy Speckhardt (202) 238-9088

(Washington, DC, February 12, 2004) Today, the American Humanist Association (AHA) submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court on behalf of Michael Newdow in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Michael A. Newdow. “This brief demonstrates that the phrase ‘under God’ in the government established Pledge of Allegiance is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion,” states Tony Hileman, executive director of the AHA.

The brief, which may be found at http://www.americanhumanist.org/pledgebrief.pdf stresses the need to strengthen the separation of government from religion, especially in public schools, in order to prevent disfranchisement and to promote religious liberty in America.

“The practice of reciting the Pledge in public schools specifically targets children, inculcating them with a monotheistic message not held by millions of Americans. This is not a passive reading of a historic document but an active swearing of loyalty to one’s country and, since 1954, an avowal that our nation exists ‘under God,’ which is tantamount to prayer,” adds Hileman.

“The First Amendment does not require hostility toward religion, but mandates government neutrality toward religion. By imposing a religious belief on those without such beliefs, the current version of the Pledge utterly fails this test,” explains Hileman.

As stated in the brief, the Pledge, “indeed brings religion into the public school classroom in an intimidating fashion. Students who are singled out due to their inability to pledge allegiance to their country will be disfavored over those who support the majority religious belief in our society: monotheism.” Joining the AHA in the brief are The Association of Humanistic Rabbis, The Humanist Society, The HUUmanists, and The Society for Humanistic Judaism. The Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations also supports the brief.

“We are confident that the Court will strengthen church-state separation by confronting the 1954 addition of ‘under God’ to the Pledge, which violates the principle of religious neutrality, and that the Court will leave the teaching of religion where it belongs—with parents and in houses of worship. The Court must recognize that ‘under God’ is not the language of patriotic ceremony but rather the governmental endorsement of sectarian religion. “With this brief the AHA calls on the Court to correct this legislative error and stop the exclusion of millions of patriotic Americans from our primary statement of national loyalty,” concludes 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 outlook, based on reason and experience, which embraces all of humanity.

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