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To: Brumar89 who wrote (737950)	9/8/2013 5:17:02 PM
From: joseffy	Respond to of 1578995

Pledge of Allegiance challenged in Massachusetts Supreme Court By Sophia Rosenbaum, NBC News usnews.nbcnews.com A family in suburban Boston hopes to change the phrasing of the Pledge of Allegiance to remove two words they claim violate students' rights. The family is challenging the pledge, which students recite daily in U.S. public schools, claiming the words "under God" violate the state's equal rights laws. The plaintiffs, who have requested anonymity through their lawyers, are taking an unconventional approach to challenging the pledge. Past cases argued the words “under God” violated the Constitution’s separation of church and state. Congress added “under God” to the pledge in 1954. This case, however, makes a different argument. David Niose, former president of the American Humanist Association, and the plaintiffs' representative, opened his arguments Wednesday saying the pledge’s use of “under God” violates the Equal Rights Amendment of the Massachusetts Constitution and is an issue of discrimination. Niose said the pledge’s repetitiveness in the public school system is indoctrinating and alienating to atheists. “It validates believers as good patriots and it invalidates atheists as non-believers at best and unpatriotic at worst,” he said. Eric Rassbach, deputy general counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, intervened on behalf of a family in the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, the defendant in the case, who would like to have their child continue reciting the pledge as it is presently written. “Most people do not view reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as saying a prayer,” Rassbach said. “It would be terrible to enshrine in the law this kind of allergy to God that the plaintiffs have.” Rassbach added that it has been illegal to force someone recite the pledge since 1943. The landmark U.S. Supreme Court case West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette ruled that students could not be forced to salute the American flag or say the pledge in school. It was considered a huge victory for Jehovah’s Witnesses, who cannot salute or pledge to symbols, according to their religious beliefs. Both Noise and Rassbach said a decision will likely come within six months. Since this case is an appeal, there is no testimony and the panel of seven Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court judges will decide the case based on court briefs. Rassbach is worried that if the state Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, the case would spur copycat lawsuits in other states with similar equal rights’ laws. “If they succeed in their goals here,” he said, “they will attempt to replicate it elsewhere.”

To: Brumar89 who wrote (737950)	9/8/2013 5:35:22 PM
From: joseffy	2 Recommendations Recommended By Brumar89 FJB Respond to of 1578995

Wash DC denies permit to 2 million bikers for 9-11 approves muslim demonstration Permit Denied to 2 Million Bikers to DC on 9.11.13 ............................................................................................................... Sons Of Liberty RIders ^ \| 9/6/2013 \| Eilana Caswell Washington DC has DENIED our permit for a no-stop ride through Washington DC. We find this regretful for the residents and businesses of that great city, and humbly offer our apologies. What could have been a one or two hour ride through will now likely be an all day event. We will be obeying all laws. We will be stopping at all stoplights, stop signs, and yielding to all pedestrians. RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES OF WASHINGTON DC: On behalf of the National "2 Million Bikers to DC" Team, please accept our sincere apologies. We did the right thing and went through the proper channels to secure a no-stop permit to ride through your great city. We wanted to ride an established route, which would have taken us past the Viet Nam Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial, across the bridge into Virginia, and that's it! We would have been completely out of Washington DC, and your city would have been back to normal. The National Team fully expected our permit to be rejected, and have already drafted a Plan-B. That Plan-B will be posted a little later today once the final details have been bolted down. We know that California and Texas riders had kicks stands up yesterday. Many other western states have kickstand up today and throughout the weekend. RIDERS: You are true, blue Patriots and we salute you for your participation in this event! Many of you have taken time off of work to be here. You have freely given of your time, your funds, and your bikes to ride shoulder to shoulder in this event. You have have left your families and your jobs to be here. Those of us who ride come from different clubs, chapters, and organizations. Some of us ride with family and friends and some ride alone. But on September 11th, we ride as one!! We ride to pay tribute and offer respect to those that lost their lives on that day 12 years ago, and to salute our troops engaged in the War on Terror. Riders!...we are the best of the best in America!! Our love for these people and this country is staggering, and we will make a display of Patriotism and solidarity America won't soon forget!! Riders!...we lift you up to the Lord and pray that His hand and divine protection will ride with you all. Rubber side down, brothers! See you Wednesday morning!!