Dr Michael Newdow speaking on his lawsuits against God.

[imrational]

In June of 2006, Dr. Michael Newdow came to speak at HALVASON (Las Vegas's local Humanist Chapter) and the Las Vegas Freethought Society (LVFS).

Dr. Newdow is the gentleman who sued over "Under God" being in the Pledge of Allegiance and is currently suing over "In God We Trust" on United States currency.  Dr. Newdow is trying very hard to protect American's civil liberties by helping delineate a clear separation between church & state.

I just finished uploading his speech onto youtube.  Because of the 10 minute limit, I had to post the speech in 10 different parts.  Click on the following link to go to my "playlist" which will allow you to watch all the clips back to back.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... 160D83B7FE

I should warn you that I did very little editing.  The entire playlist runs well over an hour.  If you are looking for simple mind candy... you might want to switch to another vid.  If you want some insight into our courts system, how atheist activism can sometimes work, or the history of the inclusion of religion into government... click above!

[Big Mac]

I just don't see a point to it. In God We Trust is stated in our national Anthem (not just the little snippet we sing at ball games, the whole thing, which I read in the Army because there is nothing else to do!). I honestly think Newdow is needlessly putting his daughter at risk towards death threats from crazy fundies. Are a few words really worht it? besides, he doesn't even have custody of her so this is even worse. Leave it to someone in Cali to pick up a wasteful struggle.

Rant off....

[Whitney]

Thanks for uploading the vids...I haven't watched it all yet (got to vid 3) and probably should start over from the beginning since he talks so fast that I missed most of it while messing with other things.  Anyway, I'm all for anyone who truly wants to uphold separation of church and state and added it to my myspace profile (No, big mac, I'm not addicted) for others to see.

[iplaw]

He's got way too much time on his hands.  He will continue to win in liberal courts like California and the 9th CCA and routinely lose everywhere else.  He's pissing up a rope.  

Even if he wins a court case here or there, legislation will eventually be changed to limit the jurisdiction of federal courts to take questions like these out of their hands forever.  So he is actually doing his cause more harm than good.  We have an overloaded judiciary and cases like these just clog the system.  

Separation of church and state is nothing more than a judicially created doctrine that even the Supreme Court, the keeper of the judiciary, won't extend to sustain arguments that this guy makes.  He may be an educated man, but he certainly has no common sense and definitely can't read the writing on the wall.

[Big Mac]

I don't know about Seperation of Church and State that being Judicially created (coming from a lawyer I'm a little surprised) but I do agree that this "doctor" has too much time on his hands. Besides, it really makes atheists look like a bunch of hippies who protest everything. Not to mention weren't a good amount of the 9th Circuit's decisions overturned by higher courts?

[iplaw]

Point me to the document that enumerates the doctrine of "separation of chuch and state."  I'm not saying it's not a part of judicial interpretations, but you won't find it in any document.  The nearest you get is Establishment Clause.  Although it has been interpreted in light of Jefferson's "Separation" letter, I find it interesting to read the actual debate that took place over the drafting of the Establishment Clause.

House Debate on the Bill of Rights regarding the Establishment Clause.

Clearly the committee members had major concerns that the Establishment Clause would be interpreted to try and limit religious freedoms rather than to limit the imposition of a national religion.  Also notice that one member was acutely interested in protecting the rights of those who hold no faith at all.

I find it interesting to look at the first Act of Congress as well:

Mr. Jay of New York and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina immediately spoke against this motion because (they said) Americans are so divided in religious sentiments—some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists—that all could not join in the same act of prayer. Sam Adams rose to say that he could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety and virtue, as long as he was a patriot. Adams moved that a Reverend be asked to read prayers before Congress on the next morning. The motion carried.   Thus it happened that the first act of Congress on September 7, 1774, was an official prayer, pronounced by an Episcopalian clergyman.

Doesn't sound like the type of individuals that would encourage the abolition of the phrases "In God we Trust" or "Under God."

Yes, the 9th CCA gets routinely overturned by the SPCT.

EDIT:  Quotations and links

[Big Mac]

Eh, not my problem. Though I'm telling you, one of these days a crazy fundy is going to gun down Newdow and/or his daughter. It's not worth the risk.

[iplaw]

:roll:

[Big Mac]

What are you rolling your eyes at me for? I'm not the guy who is putting his daughter's life on the line for some stupid ideal. What is ideal is not what is real.

[iplaw]

What is ideal is not what is real.

Are you the Sphinx?

To learn my teachings, I must first teach you how to learn.

He who questions training only trains himself at asking questions.

When you care what is outside, what is inside cares for you.

[Big Mac]

No but I can answer her riddle. Except I'm not going to fuck my mother like Oedipus.

[iplaw]

Have you not seen Mystery Men?

[Big Mac]

Not in many moons. That movie was underrated. It was really original but everyone ignored it. That and Jew Cats!!! JEW CATS!!! You're a pretty weird lawyer, in that I didn't expect you to be watching movies like Myster Men and Team America.

[iplaw]

Mother...your son is a limey fork flinger...

[Big Mac]

"Are you smoking the pot again?!"

Favorite part with the Blue Rajah.