By DAVID EPPS
Pastor

It didn't even take a month after the horrific attacks on America for the American Civil Liberties Union to get its boxers in a bunch regarding the rampant religiosity of grieving citizens. All over America, soon after the destruction of the World Trade Center towers and the attack on the Pentagon, signs and bumper stickers began to appear that uttered a desperate, one-sentence prayer "God Bless America."

Even universities and public schools began displaying this sign of need and unity in the aftermath of America's darkest day. Members of Congress, of both parties, gathered together to sing the song that proclaims these comforting words. All over the nation, churches even those that typically stay away from nationalistic sentiments and tendencies included the song, "God Bless America," in worship services following the attack. The President himself led the nation in a religious service of mourning and remembrance at Washington's National Cathedral.

Enter the leftist ACLU to throw a bit of cold water on those who would dare suggest that the nation should turn to God during the worst single disaster in the history of the nation. In California, a state not normally known for its hyper-religiousity, the Rocklin Unified School District displayed the message, "God Bless America," on the marquee of Breen Elementary School. The ACLU, known best for attacking most anything good and profitable and defending most everything vile, demanded not requested, demanded that the school district remove the offending message. The ACLU contention is that the message, "God Bless America," is a "hurtful, divisive message." This, of course, is the same ACLU that has argued against non-religious Bible history classes, vouchers for Christian colleges, any form of prayer in schools, faith-based initiatives, the display of the Ten Commandments in any government facility, and a slew of other freedom-threatening activities.

On the other hand, in a case typical of the organization's interests, the ACLU has opposed a Delaware law that would issue driver's licenses that would identify sexual offenders after they have committed and have been convicted of no less than 12 sex crimes. The ACLU has stated that such a law requiring the notation on the driver's license violates the poor sexual predator's "right to privacy."

The Delaware folks say that such a license would aid police in identifying sexual perverts who hang around elementary schools, for example. But the ACLU evidently desires to protect the privacy of a person convicted of 12 sex crimes who also likes to hang around elementary schools. Presumably, such a notation on the driver's license of such a person conveys a "hurtful, divisive message."

The ACLU also supports same-sex marriages, the rights of homosexual couples to adopt children, gays in the military, abortion rights, and the overturn of sodomy laws. Yet, while desiring to be known as an organization that supports the downtrodden and defenseless, the ACLU opposed a 1996 piece of legislation that "updates child pornography statutes by banning computer-generated depictions of children engaging in sexual conduct."

Stating that the law "undermines First Amendment protections," the ACLU told Media Central, an online news source, that the law, which will also allow newsrooms to be searched for information related to kiddie-porn investigations, has "extraordinary" ramifications "for artists and people in the cinema." The ACLU's position is that "people's thoughts are their private thoughts," an ACLU spokesman said. "They have a right to their thoughts, even if they are abhorrent."

To the ACLU, however, "God Bless America" on a public school marquee is evidently much more abhorrent that the possibility of child pornography on the public Internet. The possibility that school administrators might actually influence people to consider that there might be a God who just might be called upon to bless a nation in the midst of a terrible tragedy is, indeed, a "hurtful, divisive message," according to ACLU dogma.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has entered the fray on behalf of the California school district. The ACLJ also announced that it is offering to defend any school district or student organization in America that desires to display "God Bless America" in schools.

"At a time when America desires to exhibit patriotism, the ACLU sees fit to undermine the constitution by attempting to exert a heavy hand of censorship," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ. "The ACLU is out of step with the law and is reacting in a manner that is totally absurd and irresponsible. The message 'God Bless America' is constitutionally protected speech and the ACLU's legal analysis is both skewed and very troubling." The ACLJ is a public-interest law firm and does not charge any client for its legal services.

"There is no legal reason why a school district cannot display a sign that says 'God Bless America' if it so desires," said Sekulow. "The message 'God Bless America' is constitutionally protected speech and does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In fact, it is clear that the ACLU is attempting to censor a California school district by pressuring it to remove the sign. We will defend any school district or student organization that faces legal action by the ACLU for displaying the message 'God Bless America.'"

Some might contend that, while the terrorists threaten the American way of life, the ACLU offers an even greater threat. But, then, such a statement will doubtless be seen as "hurtful" and "divisive."

[Father David Epps is rector of Christ the King Church in Peachtree City. He may be contacted at FatherDavidEpps@aol.com or at www.ChristTheKingCEC.com.]

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