ClydeR
12-02-2008, 02:58 PM
Kentucky's current governor is failing to fulfill his religious obligations under Kentucky's Homeland Security law. Even so, atheists are gearing up for a court fight against the state.
The 2006 law creating Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security establishes as the agency's primary obligation "stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." Using the government to fight terrorists is the agency's secondary mandate.
The religious language was tucked into a floor amendment by Riner and passed the General Assembly overwhelmingly. It lists the office's initial duty as "stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth."
Included in the law is a requirement that the office must post a plaque at the entrance to the state Emergency Operations Center with an 88-word statement that begins, "The safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God."
More... (http://www.kentucky.com/513/story/608898.html)
The law also requires that the agency's reports must publicize God's protection of the state, and that's where the current governor is falling short.
Under previous Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a lay Baptist preacher, Homeland Security interpreted the law at face value, prominently crediting God in its annual reports to state leaders and posting the required plaque.
Under Gov. Steve Beshear, officials this week said they didn't know about the plaque until the Herald-Leader called to ask whether it's still there. (They checked; it is.) The 2008 Homeland Security report, issued a month ago, did not credit God, but it did complain about a decline in federal funding from Washington.
More... (http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/608229.html)
A group of atheists is planning to challenge the law in court.
American Atheists of Parsippany, N.J., and 10 non-religious Kentuckians are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, set to be filed Tuesday in Franklin Circuit Court.
Edwin Kagin, a Boone County lawyer and the national legal director of American Atheists, said he was appalled to read in the Herald-Leader last week that state law establishes praising God — and installing a plaque in God's honor — as the first duty of the Homeland Security Office.
The state and federal constitutions both prohibit government from getting involved in religion, Kagin said Monday.
"This is one of the most outrageous things I've seen in 35 years of practicing law. It's breathtakingly unconstitutional," Kagin said.
More... (http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/612255.html)
I fear that if the courts start legislating atheism from the bench, then the terrorists will attack for sure.
The 2006 law creating Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security establishes as the agency's primary obligation "stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." Using the government to fight terrorists is the agency's secondary mandate.
The religious language was tucked into a floor amendment by Riner and passed the General Assembly overwhelmingly. It lists the office's initial duty as "stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth."
Included in the law is a requirement that the office must post a plaque at the entrance to the state Emergency Operations Center with an 88-word statement that begins, "The safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God."
More... (http://www.kentucky.com/513/story/608898.html)
The law also requires that the agency's reports must publicize God's protection of the state, and that's where the current governor is falling short.
Under previous Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a lay Baptist preacher, Homeland Security interpreted the law at face value, prominently crediting God in its annual reports to state leaders and posting the required plaque.
Under Gov. Steve Beshear, officials this week said they didn't know about the plaque until the Herald-Leader called to ask whether it's still there. (They checked; it is.) The 2008 Homeland Security report, issued a month ago, did not credit God, but it did complain about a decline in federal funding from Washington.
More... (http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/608229.html)
A group of atheists is planning to challenge the law in court.
American Atheists of Parsippany, N.J., and 10 non-religious Kentuckians are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, set to be filed Tuesday in Franklin Circuit Court.
Edwin Kagin, a Boone County lawyer and the national legal director of American Atheists, said he was appalled to read in the Herald-Leader last week that state law establishes praising God — and installing a plaque in God's honor — as the first duty of the Homeland Security Office.
The state and federal constitutions both prohibit government from getting involved in religion, Kagin said Monday.
"This is one of the most outrageous things I've seen in 35 years of practicing law. It's breathtakingly unconstitutional," Kagin said.
More... (http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/612255.html)
I fear that if the courts start legislating atheism from the bench, then the terrorists will attack for sure.