In God We Trust

Should national motto be displayed in public schools?

It’s been more than a half-century since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled official prayer in public schools to be unconstitutional.

But that hasn’t stopped efforts to get official recognition of the supreme being back into the classroom.

The Arkansas Legislature this session passed a bill some say aims to do just that.

Known as “The National Motto, ‘In

God We Trust’, Display Act.” the legislation requires public schools to display a poster or framed copy of the motto “In God We Trust” centered above a U.S. flag. The display can be in school libraries or classrooms.

The bill also requires such a display in any public building maintained or operated with state funds.

The display must be donated or paid for with private funds.

Needless to say, school officials are wary of the new law. They can see litigation ahead.

But others say it’s not about religion, it’s about patriotism. After all, it is the national motto, signed into law in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

We want to know what you think. Should “In God We Trust” be displayed in schools and public buildings? Or is the new law a way to get around the separation of church and state?

Send your response (50 words maximum) to opinion@texarkanagazette.com by Wednesday, Aug. 30. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504 or drop it off at our office, 101 E. Broad St, Texarkana, Ark. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday’s paper.

Last Week: Laying Blame

Last week’s question was about President Donald Trump’s condemnation of both sides in the Charlottesville tragedy. Was the president right? Do both sides share blame for the violence in Charlottesville? Or was the president wrong to blame both sides?

President Trump was correct in equating the two mobs clashing at Charlottesville, Va. This riot, as reported by fake news, differed from reality. A rent-a-mob group associated with the Democratic Party was bused into Charlottesville to clash with the KKK. This leftist group has been accused of killing cops.—J.H., Texarkana, Texas

Was President Trump right? Yes. There is hate on both sides. If an M.L.K. statue was pulled down by putting a rope around the neck or trying to blow it up, that’s hate. This was done this week to Civil

War statues. There would be riots and burning all over.—L.P., New Boston, Texas

The mayor of Charlottesville is most to blame. Should have told both groups they were not welcome and would be dealt with accordingly!—J.G.J., Atlanta, Texas

President Trump was careful not to alienate his base, that included hate and bigot groups, with his conflicting comments about the Charlottesville tragedy—he needs their votes in 2020. I do not think that both groups were equally at fault. The opposing peaceful group was protesting against hate and violence. Mr. Trump did not call out white nationalists when he was pressured to condemn hate groups in Virginia. Why?—M.M. Washington, Ark.

It wouldn’t have mattered to Trumphating liberals if he had begun by naming those who inspired this particular act of violence. Rightfully including “leftist” groups in his condemnation, is their excuse for attacking him. Manipulators behind these “leftists” justify violence, not only against him, but anyone hindering their goals—even policemen.—D.H.M., Texarkana, Ark.

President Trump was right to blame both sides. As for the guy in the gray sedan who drove his car into the crowd that was there, I believe he saw that first episode of “Mr. Mercedes” and decided he would be a copy cat.—S.S., Hope, Ark.

What good have you (both sides) done? Defended free speech? Who believes that? Those among both sides came armed intending to fight, Now a woman is dead and the haters only hate more. Next time, stay home and deny the other side the attention they crave.—F.T., Texarkana, Texas

Neo-Nazis with a permit to march and a Constitutional right to express their repugnant ideas are confronted by a masked, helmet-wearing group from Antifa and BLM, bearing nail-tipped clubs (but, doubtless, with love in their hearts). Mayhem ensues. Of course, Trump and the neo-Nazis are 100 percent to blame!— V.H., Texarkana, Texas

Two things that I find interesting: Black people who were never slaves are fighting with white people who were never Nazis over a Confederate statue erected by Democrats. Those engaged in destroying the statue are Democrats who can’t stand their own history anymore … yet somehow it’s Trump’s fault.—J.G., Texarkana, Texas

You and the MSM specifically name white supremacist, neo-Nazis and altright as protesters but you don’t call counterprotesters by their names, Nation of Islam, black separatists, New Black Panther Party and Black Lives Matter and Antifa. They were probably there. Why is that?—D.P., DeKalb, Texas

In his unhinged press conference, Mr. Trump emphasized that the white nationalists had a permit to demonstrate. I don’t recall the brave Allied Forces of WWII having a “permit” to rid the world of the hideous scourge of Nazi-ism. His rhetoric was shameful and insulting. As Joe Biden said “There is only ONE side.”—N.M., Texarkana, Ark.

In a way the president was right blaming both sides. There were two hateful groups scheduled to rally and then there were the locals who were ready and willing to fight. The bad part is the city wasn’t prepared and they knew who was coming to town. It wasn’t a surprise. The police showed signs of weakness.—B.J.K., Texarkana, Texas

I think the police are to blame. When they declared the assembly unlawful they pushed the alt-right rally-goers into the masses of people who hated them. They could have easily been evacuated in another direction, but the police chose to push them where they knew violence would occur.—N.C., Nash, Texas

Yes, President Trump was right. If you watch the videos of the event, you will see both sides armed with clubs and using them to attack the other side. I’m sure many on both sides were there only to exercise their First Amendment rights, but some were there to fight.—M.B., Texarkana, Texas

The President was 100 percent right in denouncing white supremacy hate groups. He was also 100 percent right when he said both sides share blame for the violence. Antifa, the anarchists among the counter protesters, are almost as violent as neo-Nazis and KKK. It takes two sides to start a fight.—L.O., Texarkana, Texas

From www.facebook.com/texarkanagazette

Both sides showed up with weapons. The Nazi bunch had guns, teargas, helmets, body armor and clubs. The ANTIFA had human excrement and acid bombs. They also had clubs, helmets, gas masks, chains, rocks and bricks. This is not disputed by any law enforcement that were there. It is NOT being reported by the media. Both groups were told to leave by order if the Controlling law enforcement agency. It was legally declared an unlawful assembly. In Virginia, that’s the magic term that gets one arrested. Both sides elected to stay. They elected to fight and that’s what they did. Nazis fought because they can. ANTIFA fought because they were paid and that’s what anarchists do.

Both groups came prepared to fight and both are at fault.

I agree with neither! Idiots!

“Do both sides share blame for the violence in Charlottesville?” Seems like a no brainer to me … of course they do.

The mayor is responsible and should be charged.

Yes both sides. It takes two to argue. Yes.