National Motto Hysteria

I'm on the mailing list for the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), a religious right counterpart to the ACLU. They periodically send around emails about some sensational case that demands our immediate attention. I'm often appalled at the absurdity, the exaggerations, and the downright dishonesty found in those letters seeking my money. But this one takes the cake. They are preparing to file an amicus brief in Newdow's case trying to remove the national motto, "In God We Trust." Here are some excerpts from the ACLJ's solicitation:

The day those words are banned - the day they are stripped from our coins and currency - we'll be witnessing the beginning of the end of religious freedom in this country.

And we've got 24 hours.

Please understand my sense of urgency. If our National Motto can be declared unconstitutional simply because it reflects a basic truth of our religious faith - as Dr. Michael Newdow has charged in court - then any expression of your faith and mine can also be declared illegal. Our foundational freedoms will crumble.

...

In just 24 hours, we will be filing one of the most important amicus briefs in the ACLJ's history - perhaps, one of the most important amicus briefs in America's history: arguing for the preservation of our National Motto, "In God We Trust," in the Newdow v. United States Congress case.

(emphasis in original) I don't know if I even know where to begin. Stripping away a little phrase is the "beginning of the end of religious freedom?" Our freedoms will "crumble?" Any personal expression of religious belief will be illegal if Newdow wins? Give me a break. A tad bit of exaggeration, maybe, to scare people into giving money? And how many Christians will fall hook, line, and sinker for this one?

We have a president who wants to be able to torture people, who wants to be able to lock up anyone he wants without any pesky Constitutional rights getting in the way. These are OK, I guess. Sekulow and his bunch don't seem too concerned about those things, nor about the myriad other ways the president ignores the law and that pain in his butt Constitution. But take away In God We Trust, and freedom will crumble!