The motto mandate
For some reason the US has something called “the national motto.” Since when does a country need a “national motto”? What else does it need? A national joke, a national friendship ring, a national slogan, a national pet, a national keychain, a national ring tone? Why do we need laws imposing such things? You may think “oh it’s not an actual law, it’s just some custom-type item” but you’d be wrong, there’s an actual law.
The modern motto of the United States of America, as established in a 1956 law signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, is “In God we trust“.
That is so stupid. We don’t need a “national motto” and if we did it wouldn’t be that one. Who’s “we,” kemosabe?
The change from “E Pluribus Unum” to “In God we trust” was generally considered uncontroversial at the time, given the rising influence of organized religion and pressures of the Cold War era in the 1950s. The 1956 law was one of several legislative actions Congress took to differentiate the United States from atheistic communism. Earlier, a 1954 act added the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. Some states also adopted mottos with religious overtones during this time, for example Ohio‘s “With God, all things are possible“.
Mandatory goddism whether we like it or not.
So, for added thrills, now we get states mandating the stupid “motto” be prominently displayed in public schools. The land of the free that tries to force all of its people to believe in a made-up god. South Dakota is god-pasting the schools even as we speak.
Public school students in South Dakota will notice something different on their first day back to school — the national motto, “In God We Trust,” prominently inscribed on walls in stencil or paint.
A new state law that took effect this month requires the message to be displayed in an area where students are “most likely” to see it, such as a cafeteria or entryway.
Gov. Kristi Noem signed the requirement into law in March. It says the motto must be at least 12-by-12-inches in size and easily legible.
No escape! You can’t ignore it! The state can force it on you whether you like it or not! Now down on your knees.
Within the last couple of years, six states — Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama and Arizona — have approved similar legislation, enforcing or allowing public schools to post the U.S. motto.
Anybody who doesn’t like it, tough shit.
Grafitti all over that shit.
E pluribus unum is a really good motto. E pluribus unum is what I was raised on.
It encapsulates exactly what we were as colonies rising against the British Empire. It represents an ideal that should motivate in exactly the way good mythic storytelling does. It’s the sort of ideal that brings people together, encourages us to put aside our trivial differences toward a greater good, and creates heroes and heroines. When Han Solo shows up at the end of the original Star Wars, when humanity (literally) rises up against the titans in Attack on Titan’s first intro, or even the goddamn Three Musketeers, it’s all e pluribus unum. Stories that make use of the theme can always get me choked up.
Me too.
Nebraska has looked at doing that a couple of times. I don’t think it gets anywhere because of Ernie Chambers. He’ll be gone soon, term limited out and in his 80s.
Our town recently put that up in our county courthouse. We have at least one citizen protesting it, and writing letters, trying to get a Satanic temple thing up (she’s not a Satanist, she’s an atheist, but it seems the Satanists are having better luck these days). The town mostly ignores her, except for occasionally when the paper will print something with a tone that allows the town to mock the idea of anyone being against In God We Trust.
I have no beef with people believing in God if they don’t try to force it on others, but I have come to the realization that such quiet unassuming belief is not possible. People who believe something like that just have to insist that all their friends believe, too, because they are so sure it is what makes them good.
Ours is “Advance Australia”. Bland, but at least it ain’t explicitly religious.
iknklast: I don’t think I’d say that quiet, unassuming belief is impossible. My extended family is largely religious, and there’s no way any of them would force their faith on others. Maybe it has something to do with being Irish and having that history to put interfaith conflict in perspective. Being an atheist carries no stigma my family.
Maybe we’re outliers, but at least we are possible.