I don't consider myself a militant atheist. If someone asks what I believe, I'll tell them, if someone attempts to use their faith as evidence, I'll challenge them, but I don't seek those discussions out. My view is that someones belief is their own damn business... mostly. What I am passionate about though, is the notion that the United States is a secular nation. That it was founded on basic principles that not only included religious tolerance for a variety of faiths, but freedom from the influence of those faiths on government.

In 1956, at the height of the Cold War, a time when communism was often equated with atheism, our leaders passed a resolution that recognized the words "In God We Trust" as the official motto of this country. It's original motto, "E Plurbus Unum", Out of Many, One (thanks Rodney), still maintains a place of honor on the official seal. Recently, President Obama erroneously stated that the original motto was in fact the official motto of the United States, and the house of representatives put forward a resolution to reaffirm "In God We Trust" as the official motto.

I was, initially, nonplussed. There are more weighty matters to devote our attention too, and I'm not in the habit of initiating... anything really. Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" addressed this in a segment of last nights episode, and while doing so ran a clip of "Fox and Friends" where Gretchen Carlson expressed some surprise that this would even be an issue in this day and age. I'm afraid that, as she is wont to do, she made me a little angry.

I don't really know what to do with that anger besides dump it on these forums where a few like minded individuals may read and respond and perhaps discuss, and to start a petition. I recognize that this is probably an impotent gesture, but I feel the need to do...something. If you've got a couple of minutes, please sign it.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/e_plurbus_unum/

There is also an existing petition here http://www.petitiononline.com/igwtrfc/petition.html with a few thousand signatures.