‘In God’ motto disputed

The motto “In God We Trust” appears to be headed to the City Council chambers in some form or another.

A divided council voted 4-2 Monday to approve the motto and start a committee to work on a design to display it, with Mayor Debbie Cook and Councilwoman Jill Hardy in opposition. Councilman Keith Bohr abstained, saying he didn’t believe it was an issue council members should weigh in on. Council members Cathy Green and Joe Carchio sponsored the measure.

A couple of supporters spoke at public comment period, saying it would send a positive moral and patriotic message.

“We were built on a Judeo-Christian foundation,” said Judy Ahrens, a Westminster resident. “Yes, it is on our money. Yes, it is on our coins: ‘In God We Trust.’ The Boy Scouts said ‘God’ in the pledge of allegiance tonight.”

A dozen people spoke against the move, however, saying it would impinge on religious freedom.

Local activist Vern Nelson said it was pushing majority beliefs on everyone, and held up a satirical “White People Are Special” sign that he said would be an equally positive affirmation of a majority group.

“Even though I’m Christian, I’m against the motion,” he said. “I find it to be un-American, un-Christian, and exclusionary in a way that’s unfit for a temple of democracy.”

Though a city report credited the movement to widely display the motto to Bakersfield City Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan, Green said Huntington Beach residents had asked her to add it to the agenda.

It’s not pushing religion, but patriotism, Carchio said to opponents.

“I think you’re kind of reading too much into this religion thing,” he said. “It doesn’t make any difference if it says God or it doesn’t say God. It could say ‘In God We Trust’ or anything else. It’s the motto of the nation.”

Not all council members agreed. It could be divisive and deter participation in local government, Hardy said, adding that her Christian faith made her more wary, not less, of sending a religious message in an improper way.

“I don’t really understand how this one’s patriotic,” Hardy said. “I believe in God. I am very faithful. When I see ‘In God We Trust,’ for me personally it’s a religious statement. I don’t hear the words ‘United States of America.’ Why not post ‘Proud to be an American?’ If that’s really the goal, shouldn’t we say what we mean?”

An alternate motion by Cook to “turn this over to the Human Relations Task Force to decide exactly what patriotic message they would like to have presented in the council chambers” failed 3-4. It was also supported by Bohr and Hardy.

Some other nearby cities that have voted for the motto include Westminster, Cypress and Compton.