Cliff Stearns: “Unfortunately, in an arrogant stunt, last summer, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Pledge of Allegiance…”

“Unfortunately, in an arrogant stunt, last summer, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Pledge of Allegiance is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion, stating that it ``impermissibly takes a position with respect to the purely religious question of the existence and identity of God,'' and places children in the ``untenable position of choosing between participating in an exercise with religious content or protesting.'' This is an obvious instance of political correctness taken to an absurd extreme. This court clearly shows that it is out of step with the will of the American people, the U.S. Congress, and traditional American values. Religious expression is the fundamental basis of our freedom in this country. At the earliest moment in this nation's history, the pilgrims signed The Mayflower Compact that declared that the voyage across the Atlantic was taken ``for the Glory of God'' and still today, the Ten Commandments are publicly displayed in the National Archives. In this Nation we have ``In God We Trust'' on our money, and each day the House of Representatives starts its day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. We will continue to do so despite the folly of the 9th Circuit Court.”