There's an old joke — "In God we trust — all others must pay cash."
To some, that is not funny since the belief that there is a Supreme Being rankles them.
"A person's belief system supersedes religion," said 29-year McLean resident Sanford "Sandy" Cohen, president of the Northern Virginia chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
"I don't trust in God. I trust in science and in man's deeds," he said following the latest meeting of Americans United last Thursday evening Jan. 31, at the Tysons Pimmit Regional Branch of the Public Library.
The goal of Americans United is to "protect the people's right to the separation of church and state which is articulated in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. It needs constant protection as do all the rights in the Bill of Rights," said Cohen.
"It's constantly being eroded," said Cohen's wife, Gail.
In addition to voicing public opinion against several pieces of legislation in Richmond regarding the placement of the words "in God we trust," and the Ten Commandments in various locales, the roughly three-dozen person audience heard from a supporter of their group — U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-3rd).
Scott who is from Newport News, is the second black from Virginia to be elected to Congress and the first since Reconstruction. He served in both the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate.
"He is a champion of the separation of church and state," said Cohen.
"AU is constantly on call to protect our rights," said Scott, in praising the host organization.
Speaking on the concerns of AU members with regard to what many have suggested is a creeping of religion back into the schools, Scott said, "For those in the majority religion, they don't have a problem. For those of a minority religion, many of them have problems. I'm old enough to recall prayer in school. Today it's not just one religion. How do you pick the prayer," he asked rhetorically. "What about non-believers?" he asked.
Scott also launched an attack on one of his fellow Democrats, without stating his name. "I was very disappointed in the Democratic nominee for vice president. Every time he spoke, it sounded like a prayer session," said Scott of Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, not a member of a "majority religion," but supportive of President Bush's Faith Based Initiative.
"It was offensive to me as a non-believer when the Senate sang God Bless America after Sept. 11," said one unidentified member of the audience Thursday evening.
"Should we eliminate 'in God we trust' from currency?" asked Scott.
"I find it objectionable." said Falls Church resident Bob Ritter.
"The Supreme Court called it 'ceremonial deism,'" said Vienna resident Lloyd Burstein. "It's being used to justify placing the Ten Commandments in the classrooms," he said.
<mh>Richmond Response
<bt>"It's not constitutional to put the Ten Commandments in schools so there's no point to the study," said Sanford Cohen regarding to HB 161, sponsored by Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter (R-31st).
The Lingamfelter bill calls for a study of the issue of placing the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.
"The legislation doesn't mandate that they be posted," said Del. Jeannemarie Devolites (R-35th) of Lingamfelter's bill, currently in the Courts of Justice Committee. "It would be up to the school boards to decide and to choose which version," she said.
"What may work in Southwest Virginia may not work in Northern Virginia. What one region prefers, another may not in a commonwealth this diverse."
"Generally, I have no problem with it in the classrooms — it's a code. It's a code of ethics we all strive to live by — things we should strive to do as human beings. Even if you don't believe in God — still shouldn't kill or steal," said Devolites, who said she would vote in favor of the legislation if it reaches a full House vote.
"The Ten Commandments may be a stretch — we don't need that,' said Del. Vincent F. Callahan, Jr. (R-34th). "I have no big objection to it, but we don't need a study," he said.
"These are matters best left to the individual and not the state. I'm opposed — no doubt about it," said Del. Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum (D-36th). "While they might promote some people's point of view, they step on other people's point of view," he said.
"If you have offended one person, that's one too many," said Gail Cohen, opposed to the posting of the Ten Commandments in classrooms as well as the three "in God we trust" bills — two of which have already passed the House and one more to be voted upon.
HB 108, calling for "in God we trust" to be "posted in all schools, ... in a conspicuous place," passed in the House by a vote of 83-16. HB 107 calling for "in God we trust" to be posted in "all courtrooms," passed the House by a vote of 88-11. HB 106, calling for "in God we trust" to be posted in "local government administrative buildings," is coming up for a vote before the full House. Each of these bills is sponsored by Del. Robert "Bob" Marshall (R-13th).
Both Callahan and Devolites voted "yea" for HB 108 and HB 107 and plan to do likewise for HB 106.
"'In God we trust' is the motto of the country and it's on our currency," said Devolites. "It's a great reminder of the four words determined years ago that our nation should live by. It reminds us there is a being greater than ourselves," she said.
"If they're serious," said Callahan of Americans United objections, "they'll lobby Congress — they made it the official legal motto in the '50s. It's been on our currency for years. I'm all for it. It's a national motto like the national anthem," he said.
"The proponents of these bills have far reaching proposals — to get as close to getting religion in the schools," said Plum, who voted against HB 108 and HB 107 and plans to do the same with HB 106. "This serves no useful purpose," he said.
"These bills are reflective of the rightward slant of the legislature," said Plum, noting that Virginia was the leader in preserving religious freedoms with the Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1786 and served as a model for the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.