Goal: 'In God We Trust' in City Hall
Hawthorne joins a statewide push to use patriotic words in civic centers. Courts have already ruled there is no violation in such use.
By Doug Irving
DAILY BREEZE
Hawthorne has begun raising money for a city monument dedicated to four words familiar to any casual reader of the dollar bill: "In God We Trust."
The city recently decided to pay tribute to the four words of the national motto with a display inside City Hall. In doing so, it joined a statewide campaign to emblazon the motto in as many civic centers as possible.
The motto, with its reference to God, has been challenged before as an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. But federal courts have already ruled that the motto does not violate the separation of church and state.
"There's nothing they can challenge," said Jacquie Sullivan, a Bakersfield councilwoman leading the statewide campaign to get the motto displayed in every city hall.
"We are proceeding on a patriotic level."
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/2486821.html