Knights of Columbus successfully defended the Oath of Allegiance 'Under God' in the U.S. Supreme Court

 Knights of Columbus

Washington D.C., June 16 (CNA)
.- On June 13, the Supreme Court ruled against atheist activist Michael
Newdow's latest attempt to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge
of Allegiance.

"Not
surprisingly, the Supreme Court has again rejected the argument that
saying the Pledge of your own free will creates an official state
religion," said attorney Eric Rassbach, litigation director at the
religious liberty defense group the Becket Fund.

"The
words 'one nation under God' make clear the bedrock American principle
that our rights come not from the State, but are endowed by our
Creator."

On
Monday, the Supreme Court rejected Newdow's appeal from the First
Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. Newdow had attempted to halt the
ability of schoolchildren in Hanover, New Hampshire from reciting the
Pledge voluntarily.

In March, the Supreme Court also rejected Newdow's appeal from a loss in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

In
both cases, the non-profit Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and global
Catholic fraternal organization the Knights of Columbus intervened in
the lawsuits to help school children who want to recite the pledge.

The Knights of Columbus led the effort to add the phrase "under God" to the Pledge 55 years ago.

The
Becket Fund said in its briefs filed in the First Circuit and the Ninth
Circuit that there is a  connection between the pledge and other
statements like the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg
Address. The briefs argue that each of those documents express the basic
American philosophy that civil rights are inalienable because
government does not create them.

Rassbach
warned, however, that Newdow's latest attempt to remove the words
"under God" may not be the last challenge to the pledge.

"Dr.
Newdow has said that he will continue to challenge the pledge around
the country, and we will be there to defend it," he said.