The American Humanist Association, which hates all religion with much fire and brimstone, has found a new big fuss to make over the Pledge of Allegiance.
This fracas occurred on Friday at Belfast Area High School in the charming seaside town of Belfast, Maine when a brave high school junior (who doesn’t want to be identified) chose not stand during a recitation of the Pledge, the Bangor Daily News reports.
The student’s teacher — also unidentified — decided his refusal to stand up for the patriotic, 31-word oath was misconduct. She promptly sent him to the principal’s office.
In the office, the student declared his great offense at the phrase “under God.” According to a stern letter from humanist attorney Monica Miller, a school official then wrongly informed the student that he had to stand during the Pledge “and that failure to do so in the future would be met with serious consequences.”
School district superintendent Brian Carpenter described Miller’s tale as a bit fanciful.
“The request was (that he) at least stand and show respect but he doesn’t have to say the Pledge,” Carpenter told the Portland Press Herald on Monday.
School officials took absolutely zero disciplinary action against the Pledge-defying student on Friday.
Carpenter downplayed the incident.
“It’s such a minuscule point,” the superintendent said. “There are more important issues in the world today.”
“The bottom line is that federal law says they don’t have to stand or recite it, and state of Maine law says they don’t have to recite it,” Carpenter told the Daily News.
“As much as I might disagree, that’s why (soldiers fought and) gave their lives, so he can do that,” he told the Press Herald. (RELATED: High School Principal Bans Pledge Of Allegiance Over Government Shutdown)
The superintendent added that the student was likely responding to a related incident which occurred about 100 miles down the road at South Portland High School. For that kerfuffle, senior class President Lily SanGiovanni wanted to add “if you’d like to” to an announcement that it was time for students to say the Pledge.
The American Humanist Association has likely been praying for an event like this one for months. In the fall, it launched a national campaign to inspire Americans to refuse to say the entire Pledge of Allegiance until Congress officially removes the famous phrase “under God.” There was a smattering of random advertising at some bus stops. YouTube was involved. (RELATED: Atheist Group Now Wants Everybody To Sit Out The Pledge Of Allegiance)
The atheist outfit argues that the two words “under God” discriminate against the rights of Americans who are not religious.
Congress added the phrase in 1954, at the height of the Cold War and in the midst of a Red Scare. Copious federal and state court case law has affirmed that no one under any American jurisdiction can be required to recite all or any part of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Nevertheless, the religion-despising group remains concerned that underage students who suddenly feel no patriotism or religious belief might have to halfheartedly mumble the oath or stand respectfully while others recite it. A website, DontSaythePledge.com, offers tips to students and parents concerned about Pledge-saying harassment.
The American Humanist Association claims that 34 percent of all Americans support removing “under God” from the Pledge. And so, even though up to 66 percent of all Americans support keeping those words in the patriotic vow, members are always on the hunt for instances when someone, somewhere might be besmirched by some passing contact with religion.
In the fall, for example, the group and a similar outfit — the Freedom From Religion Foundation — set their litigious sights on the Madison County School District in the bucolic town of Danielsville, Ga. (pop. 457) because of a monument engraved with two New Testament verses. (RELATED: Atheist Group Now Threatens Georgia School District Over Donated Religious Monument)
Follow Eric on Twitter. Like Eric on Facebook. Send education-related story tips to erico@dailycaller.com.
