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MA Court Ok's 'Under God' in Pledge of Allegiance

CBN

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The highest court in Massachusetts unanimously ruled that school children may continue to use the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

An atheist family, represented by the American Humanist Association, had sued to overturn the pledge, arguing that the words were unconstitutional.

But on Friday the state's Supreme Judicial Court ruled that recitation of the pledge is completely optional and "violates neither the Constitution nor the statute (which prohibits discrimination in Massachusetts public school education)."

They added that no child must be silenced from reaffirming timeless American ideals because others disagree.
 
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty applauded the ruling the school children and their parents defended the phrase against the atheist advocacy group.

"The court affirmed what should have been obvious - 'God' is not a dirty word," Eric Rassbach, deputy general counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said.

"For those who have been attacking the pledge we would offer this: our system protects their right to remain silent, but it doesn't give them a right to silence others," Rassbach added.

This is the fourth time the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty law firm has defended the phrase in court and won.

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