Allegheny County Council will vote today at their 5:00 pm meeting on a resolution--Bill 8376-14--proposed by Councilwoman Sue Means (R-Bethel Park), to post a plaque displaying the words “In God We Trust” in the Allegheny County Courthouse Gold Room.
If like the Post-Gazette editorial board you believe that doing so will "invite discord," or like Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald you believe that doing so is "disrespecting other religions and beliefs by promoting one above the others," or like blogger Sue Kerr you believe that you "cannot trust the people who profess to believe in God," or like the OPJ you want to know "who is the 'we' here," or like this Facebook group (and bill critic Audrey Glickman) you believe that the stated purpose of the plaque in honoring "historic" and "patriotic" sentiments is pure BALONEY, then you have a little less than 12 hours to make your beliefs known to County Council.
You can email Council at council@alleghenycounty.us
It would also be very helpful to contact your own representative (and the two at-large members) as a constituent:
John DeFazio, County Council At-Large, President
412-350-6516, jdefazio@alleghenycounty.us
Heather S. Heidelbaugh, County Council At-Large
412-350-6520, hheidelbaugh@alleghenycounty.us
Thomas Baker, District 1
412-350-6525, thomas.baker@alleghenycounty.us
Jan Rea, District 2
412-350-6530, jrea@alleghenycounty.us
Edward Kress, District 3
412-350-6535, edward.kress@alleghenycounty.us
Michael J. Finnerty, District 4
412-350-6540, mfinnerty@alleghenycounty.us
Sue Means, District 5
412-350-6545, sue.means@alleghenycounty.us
John F. Palmiere, District 6
412-350-6550, jpalmiere@alleghenycounty.us
Nicholas Futules, District 7, Vice-President
412-350-6555, nfutules@alleghenycounty.us
Dr. Charles Martoni, District 8
412-350-6560, cmartoni@alleghenycounty.us
Robert J. Macey, District 9
412-350-6565, rmacey@alleghenycounty.us
William Russell Robinson, District 10
412-350-6570, wrobinson@alleghenycounty.us
Barbara Daly Danko, District 11 (You can thank her for being opposed to this!)
412-350-6575, Barbara.Danko@alleghenycounty.us
James Ellenbogen, District 12
412-350-6580, jellenbogen@alleghenycounty.us
Amanda Green Hawkins, District 13
412-350-6585, agreen@alleghenycounty.us
Let's flood their in-boxes and voice-mail and let them know that we believe in the Separation of Church and State!
3 comments:
Thank you for this!
One day maybe I'll understand why they conflate love of G-d with love of country. Maybe it's the same pleasure center in the brain.
Truly, as you say, when we argue against religion in government, we are the ones arguing in support of religious freedom.
"Some, who tell us that Constitution has "penumbras" and "emanations" allowing a fetus to be flushed down toilet, define "speech" strictly."
If the Republicans win the Senate, they should follow the example of the Democrats in trying to partial repeal the 1st amendment (S.J. Res. 19) with a Constitutional Amendment to allow Religious objects on public land and buildings.
http://americanencore.org/blog/ae-statement-senate-democrats-try-gut-free-speech
Council heard from several speakers, debated the matter, and voted the Bill down, 8 to 6.
Voting not to post the slogan were: Danko, Ellenbogen, Finnerty, Futules, Green-Hawkins, Martoni, Macey, and Council President DeFazio.
Palmiere was absent.
Voting in favor of the bill were Baker, Heidelbaugh, Kress, Means, Rea, and Robinson.
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