Judge: Take “god” out of recent Kentucky bill

According to the constitutions of the United States and the State of Kentucky, church and state must remain separate. But then the Kentucky Legislature passed a homeland security related bill that stated that the security of the Commonwealth (State) depends on Almighty God.

That wording was thrown out yesterday by a Kentucky Judge. This was the outcome of a lawsuit by ten residence of Kentucky and the American Atheists. The stte Attorney General has not decided if he will appeal.

Oh, do it, do it, do it!!! Appeal this one!!! Might as well get this cut and dry decision as high up as it can get!

Details here

Hat Tip Joe.

Comments

#1 Sigmund
August 27, 2009

“This was the outcome of a lawsuit by ten residence of Kentucky and the American Athestis.”
Well they’d certainly need a lot of balls to do this in Kentucky!
#2 Russell
August 27, 2009

Fortunately, in a way, the legislators made the mistake of putting some procedural substance into their religious rhetoric, giving the courts reason to act.
#3 Miss Cellania
August 27, 2009

I live in Kentucky. I came in to say exactly what Sigmund already said.
#4 gruebait
August 27, 2009

I read that, as required by that law, a plaque stating the official reliance on god for the state’s security was on display at the state homeland security offices.

When it’s removed, I want video on YouTube!
#5 Mike Haubrich, FCD
August 27, 2009

Me, too, gruebait. I would like for Dan Barker to be the one who takes it down.
#6 Ken
August 27, 2009

Exaxtly when will you Kentucky people be voting out the religitards who wasted your money by supporting that law?
#7 marie
August 27, 2009

As another Kentuckian…I second (third?) Sigmund. Also, “we Kentucky people” are so completely in the minority here that it is almost laughable.
#8 Greg Laden
August 27, 2009

BTW, I’ll just mention that you will see more covered on this blog from Kentucky than from most states because the patriarch of the Kentucky Branch of the Laden Family sends the info to me.
#9 katydid13
August 27, 2009

As an ex-Kentuckian, I has to agree with Marie. Although, I think I could have rounded a handful of liberal protestants who like seperation of church and state that would have signed on to such a lawsuit. My parents and a couple of their friends for example.
#10 Jay
August 27, 2009

Another Kentuckian chiming in.
I’m in Louisville, and we could probably muster a fairly good number of people to come down on the side of stronger church/state separation.

That said, Jack Conway, the State AG, is a Louisville boy, although he’s never struck me as the brightest bulb in the chandelier. He’ll appeal, if for no other reason than that he’ll get more face time on TV and in the papers.
#11 Jay
September 5, 2009

Greg -

In case you hadn’t heard, the Louisville newspaper reported this morning (9/5/09) that the state AG has indeed appealed on the basis that rather than endorsing any particular religion, the contested wording merely acknowledged relgion. I personally think that’s a specious argument.

I wrote a short post on it, and linked to the article at my site.