Florida lawyer among those fighting to keep 'under God' in pledge

Published: 2004-02-18

GULF BREEZE, Fla. (CNS) -- On the frontlines in the fight to keep the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance is Renee Bookout, a member of St. Ann Catholic Parish in Gulf Breeze, in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. "We can't allow zealots to tear at the fabric of the American flag or allow liberal judges to disregard the teachings of our forefathers and legislate from the bench," said Bookout, who is general counsel and senior vice president of the Center for Individual Freedom. The effort to remove the words "under God" started with a lawsuit brought by Michael Newdow, a California atheist, reportedly on behalf of his 9-year-old daughter, who heard the pledge each day in school. (News reports later said Newdow was at odds over the issue with his ex-wife, who says she and her daughter are both Christians and have no objection to the phrase in the pledge.) The case -- Elk Grove Unified School District vs. Newdow -- made it to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the recitation of the pledge in public schools was an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause because of the words "under God." The decision was appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed to take up the case and is scheduled to hear oral arguments on it March 24.

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