Reader Opinion: A contradiction
I find it interesting that the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights has the idea of separation of church and state, but the motto for the United States is “In God We Trust” and that the Public Law 84-140 says that all United States currency must have the motto inscribed on it.
This is what the First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Here is Public Law 84-140: “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That at such time as new dies for the printing of currency are adopted in connection with the current program of the Treasury Department to increase the capacity of presses utilized by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the dies shall bear, at such place or places thereon as the Secretary of the Treasury may determine to be appropriate, the inscription ‘In God We Trust’, and thereafter this inscription shall appear on all United States currency and coins.
I feel like the Public Law 84-140 full out contradicts the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. I am not offended by this, but I feel like some other people might have some feelings that might come up from this topic. If the United States wants to have no religious stance on anything, then why would they make the nation’s motto a religious statement?
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Landon Schomer
Pierz
