Comments & Curiosities:

I have a riddle for you. What do tap dancing, stealing second and childbirth all have in common? Timing.

Ask Costa Mesa City Councilwoman Wendy Leece. She knows about timing. For some time, Wendy has wanted to have the motto “In God We Trust” tacked up on the wall of the City Council chambers.

You know the phrase, of course, but did you know it is the official motto of the United States? More on that later. As is always the case when anyone in the government biz suggests something that refers to God in any way, it triggers what the Irish refer to as a merry brawl.

But Wendy was more than wiling to suffer the slings and arrows of critics — separation of church and state, a slippery slope, etc. — arguing that the motto is not so much about religion as it is about patriotism. She convinced enough of her colleagues and last month the 12 letters that form “In God We Trust” were lined up just right beneath the great seal of Costa Mesa, hammered home and buffed up nice and bright.

But here is where Wendy’s impeccable sense of timing comes in. After all the push me/pull you and back-and-forth about “violates church and state; no, it doesn’t, yes, it does, doesn’t, does…” just this week, the 9th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals in San Francisco made a startling decision.

The three-judge panel overturned their own 2002 ruling that sided with atheist Michael Newdow’s claim that “One Nation Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance violates the separation of church and state. And that’s not all, thank you. The deciders in black said their decision also applies to the four words printed on every U.S. bank note and coin — “In God We Trust.” Say thank you, Wendy.

It isn’t just the about face that’s surprising. It’s that it should come from the 9th Circuit court. Do you remember Phil Spector’s trial? Do you remember his behavior, and even more scary, his hair? The 9th Circuit is the Phil Spector of courts. Over the years they have rendered one baffling decision after another, and baffling is being kind.

Year after the year the 9th Circuit holds the record for reversals by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2007, the Supremes reviewed 22 decisions from the 9th Circuit and reversed or vacated 19 of them. As batting averages go, that’s not good.

OK, fine. But did you ever wonder where the words “In God We Trust” came from? Probably not, but just say you did so we can get through this. It comes from the Civil War, more or less. A letter dated Nov. 13, 1861, made its way to Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase from the Rev. M.R. Watkinson of Ridley Township, which, if you’re wondering, is just south of Upper Darby Township.

The reverend made an impassioned plea to Chase that all our coins and currency should include some recognition of God.

Actually, impassioned plea is an understatement; over the top is better, but that was the style of the day. Watkinson had very specific ideas about what words and objects to put on which coins and currency.

“This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism,” Watkinson said.

Chase was persuaded and ordered his staff to come up with a motto that would capture at least some of the boatload of words and graphics and pictures that Watkinson wanted printed on anything that didn’t move.

“You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay…” ordered Chase, “with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition.” I don’t know why it had to be terse, but people were almost always cranky in those days. If they caught you smiling in a photograph they would beat you.

Within weeks, the director of the mint told Chase that even though they were walking on their knees from doing all-nighters, they had three new coin designs and two options for a motto: “Our Country, Our God” or “God, Our Trust.”

Chase thought and he thought and he thought some more, then told the mint man, “I approve your mottoes, only suggesting that…it should be changed so as to read, ‘In God We Trust.’”

The mint people were tempted to say “Thanks, boss, glad we worked nine days straight to come up with two mottoes that you just blew off like it was nothing” — but they didn’t.

And so, from that day forward, “In God We Trust” would be stamped, printed and otherwise made to appear on every United States coin and paper note.

A century later, in 1956, an Act of Congress made “In God We Trust” the national motto of the United States. By the way, it’s also the official motto of Florida and Nicaragua. I think they should get their own mottoes, but that’s just my opinion.

And to head off the calls and e-mails, some people think of “E Pluribus Unum,” or “One From Many,” as our national motto. Not exactly. In 1782, Congress approved E Pluribus Unum to be placed on the Great Seal of the United States, but it was never officially declared the national motto.

So there you have it. Seals, mottoes and Wendy Leece. If you have an interesting motto or would like me to come up with one for you, just let me know. Meaningful thoughts are $100 a word; platitudes, three for $5. I’ll need a recent photo and allow four weeks for delivery.

I gotta go.

PETER BUFFA is a former Costa Mesa mayor. His column runs Sundays. He may be reached at ptrb4@aol.com .