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TO EXPRESS THE DESIRE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO KEEP THE PHRASE "UNDER GOD " IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
Whereas, in the landmark case of Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, the United States Supreme Court will determine whether the use of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools violates the Constitution's ban on government-established religion; and
Whereas, the court will examine whether a public school district policy that requires teachers to lead willing students in the Pledge of Allegiance is an unconstitutional governmental endorsement of religion with the phrase "under God" as part of the Pledge of Allegiance; and
Whereas, the phrase "under God" was not a part of the original pledge written in 1892, but was added by a 1954 law adopted to distinguish America's religious values and heritage from the atheistic values of communism; and
Whereas, Michael Newdow, an atheist from California, brought the case against the school district that his nine-year-old daughter attends, and Solicitor General Theodore Olson will defend the phrase "under God"; and
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly strongly support the use of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance because the beliefs and the morals of the citizens of South Carolina are reflected in the recitation of the familiar phrase. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representative, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, express their desire to keep the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.
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