Why is a Police Chief telling Atheists to “Go Fly A Kite?”

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A Texas police chief gave a remarkably unprofessional answer to the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s most recent letter on “In God We Trust” stickers.

Freedom From Religion Foundation, also known as FFRF has been actively campaigning and requesting the American government to remove signs of the motto “In God we trust” from government signage and fixtures such as currency and courthouses. This time they requested the Childress, Texas Police Department to remove the stickers bearing the motto from their patrol cars, so that the atheists and non-Christians do not feel marginalized and unprotected. In response to this request, the Chief of the Childress Police Department wrote to the FFRF representative, denying the request and asking her and the FFRF to “go fly a kite.”

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Given the matter at hand, Texas Senator Charles Perry and Representative Drew Springer, issued a joint statement, supporting the Childress Police Department’s decision and right to have the American motto stickers on their patrol cars. He further added that the American history celebrates faith and the act of honoring religious liberty. It is very “un-American” for one to make a suggestion like asking the police department to remove the motto stickers from their patrol car.

Why is a Police Chief telling Atheists to “Go Fly A Kite?”[/tweetthis]

The differences between religious groups and the non-religious ones has been a long-standing issue. The matter in question is linking religion to nationality. The motto “In God we trust” had been designated as the national motto of America way back in 1956 by President Dwight Eisenhower. In a way the motto holds both religious and national sentiments which makes it really difficult to point out which jurisdiction should handle the matter, religious or national.

In this case it seems that while on one hand the FFRF is looking at the matter from the religious point of view, the police department and senator might be looking at it from the nationalistic point of view, making it difficult for both parties to come to an agreement.

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