Oh Oh. . .McDermott omits 'God' from Pledge--LOL this should be fun. . .

[wndycty]

McDermott omits 'God' from Pledge
By Amy Fagan
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published April 28, 2004
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rep. Jim McDermott, Washington Democrat, yesterday did not say the words "under God" as he led the House in its daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Rep. Pete Sessions, Texas Republican, accused Mr. McDermott of "embarrassing the House" and proving that "he and those like him stand more for the liberal left than they do for our friends and neighbors."
"The liberal wing of the Democrat Party launched yet another salvo today in its ongoing battle to drive a wedge between Americans and the values and ideals we hold dear," Mr. Sessions said in a statement last night.
-snip-

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040427-105435-1862r.htm

[w13rd0]

1. oh for crying out loud...

...let's stop everything and immediately convene hearings and investigations into this insidious leftist conspiracy. Sessions is a shmuck.

[wndycty]

2. 9/11, Iraq is spiraling out of control. . .but, but.

Let them make a big deal. . .this is too funny.

[FrankBooth]

3. Go Jim

Jim was probably just remembering the way the Pledge was recited when he was in elementary school - without "God."


I'm glad I get to vote for him.

[LittleApple81]

4. They showed in MSNBC and he paused to let the others who

so wished to say under God. I thought that was great!

[BlueEyedSon]

5. Probably a "close-to-constitutional" performance.

Not a bad compromise, but could be better.

Should we email our approval?

[truthspeaker]

7. that's what he should say when anyone asks

[Not Me]

6. I don't understand...

why a loyalty oath is appropriate in a free, democratic country. Much less, including a reference to a God that is assumed to be 'on our side.'

[pezcore64]

9. well

I can understand why government officials should say an oath of loyalty, but not the general population. i never understood that. its called nationalism i do believe ;)

But yeah, im glad he paused and didnt say "under god".

that took some guts.
more power to him!

[AgentLadyBug]

24. oaths and religion.....

it seems to me that every american citizen is effectively a member of the government - the public has (more or less) clearly demarcated rights and resposibilities in our consititution. an oath of allegiance to the nation that supplies the freedom doesn't seem out of place to me....

or to put it another way, we are a *free* country, but not an *anarchistic* one - i see nothing wrong with having people remind themselves that, at the end of the day, we are all on the same team (even if, had we our choice, we might have chosen different teammates). "united we stand, divided we fall", "we must hang together, else we shall assuredly all hang separately", and so forth....

it seems to me that especially in times like these, recalling the perhaps easily-forgotten fact that *we* are *all* *americans* is a fine thing. then we can move on and help those of us who aren't, shall we say, performing to expectations.

of course, the forced incorporation of a specific religious slant into such an oath is the height of asininity...

but all in all, a free society works - if at all - on a foundation of trust; codifying that trust into an oath presents no difficulties for me....

imho

[tandot]

8. One brave soul...

"...drive a wedge between Americans and the values and ideals we hold dear"

WE??? With "we" does he mean ALL Americans? Sorry, Mr. Sessions, not ever body has the same beliefs as you and the religious right. And some people choose not to believe at all.

THANK YOU, Mr. McDermott

:yourock:

[truthspeaker]

10. I hold the first amendment dear

Including the establishment clause. Fuck you, Sessions.

[Bandit]

12. The wedge is being driven by the GOP ~ Our values are the constitution

They wish to shred the constitution and say that is American values. They are quite sick individuals. Liberals are Americans also just in case they have forgotten that fact. I'm not sure if I can call a Treasonous GOP American or not though.

[argyl]

11. Mr. Sessions has demonstrated the leadership necessary to continue

to make Texas politicians both the laughingstock and worst fear of sane Americans.
Congrats Pete,I'd say this will make you a shoo-in for a spot on the next DU Top Ten Conservative Idiots of the Week.

[BattyDem]

13. Um, excuse me ...

I thought the Repugs said that "Under God" should remain and anyone who wasn't comfortable saying those words should simply stay silent; no one was forcing them to say it.

Many have said that children (and adults) who chose not to say the words "Under God" would be harrassed, ridiculed, etc. It seems to me that Sessions just proved the argument.

[tandot]

14. Good point, BattyDem

You are right, that was their argument. There is no need to take "under God" out, just don't say it if you don't like it.

"Many have said that children (and adults) who chose not to say the words "Under God" would be harassed, ridiculed, etc. It seems to me that Sessions just proved the argument"

What f*cking a**holes they are. How do we complain to that idiot? Anyone has his email address?

[bain_sidhe]

15. No better way to demostrate

that the argument that anybody who doesn't want to say those words is "free to not say them" is bogus. If a U.S. Congressman gets this kind of flack over it, imagine what a kid would go through.

[BattyDem]

19. Exactly!

And not only was a US Congressman harrassed, but it was another US Congressman doing it! Sessions just proved the "liberal" argument ... 100%! What an idiot

[cmf]

16. One of the reasons I love Jim

Is because he has some big cajones. If only half of the Democratic party was as brave as he is, we'd be in a much better position today.

Sessions is a moron. :eyes:

[ieoeja]

17. "I didn't want to drown out the Republicans"

They always make a point of shouting out those two words. But he had the microphone while leading the pledge. So perhaps he simply wanted to make sure they were heard since it is obviously so important to them that they everyone thinks they're holier.

[underpants]

18. Did the government collapse? Did the US dissolve? Are we still alive?

Wow from what I have been hearing I would have expected that to happen if someone dare not say the words that have kept the universe intact.........since 1954.

[redqueen]

20. Yay!

Just called his office to say THANK YOU for helping to return this country to what it was meant to be, and am now calling Sessions (I'm a constituent, pity me!) to tell him one of his constituents disagrees with his nonsense. Specifically I said I would like the reference to God omitted, and that it makes Texas look bad to have him up there playing politics with every little thing.

Love it! :D

[derby378]

21. Uh-oh

Before you break out the champagne, you'd better read this:

Several hours later, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Tex.), in a "parliamentary inquiry" from the floor, asked whether "under God" is part of the Pledge. Yes, replied the presiding officer, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), adding that "under God" will appear in the day's Congressional Record whether the words were spoken or not.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48254-2004Apr28?language=printer

I don't know about you - but doesn't this sound like falsifying Federal records?!?

If you're going to call Pete Sessions, be sure to bring this up and ask him if he supports altering official government documents.

[progressivebydesign]

22. My 12 year old stepdaughter does that at school.

It hasn't made the major media outlets yet, though.

[neverborn]

23. Call McDermott and offer your support

"Separation of Church and State", eh?

[Mattforclark]

25. And then God didst smite him

And thus he was smitten.

Go Representative McDermott. Screw you, Pete Sessions.