This story in the news:
The Hill – Satanic Temple plans to sue Mississippi if state puts ‘In God We Trust’ on flag
WLOX 13 – Satanic Temple threatens lawsuit if ‘In God We Trust’ appears on new Mississippi flag
The Post Millennial – Satanic Temple to sue Mississippi if God is printed on redesigned state flag
CNS News – Satanic Temple Threatening to Sue if Mississippi Adds ‘In God We Trust’ to New State Flag
Breaking Israel News – Church of Satan Sues Mississippi for Wanting to Write “God” on State Flag
SALEM, Mass. — July 07, 2020 — In a letter sent by its attorneys to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, The Satanic Temple (TST), a non-theistic international religious organization, urged Mississippi state officials on Monday to not place the phrase “In God We Trust” on the state flag.
The call comes after Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the Mississippi state flag and replace it with a new design that shall contain the words “In God We Trust.”
“While [T]he Satanic Temple supports the removal of the Confederate flag, removing one divisive symbol of exclusion only to replace it with a divisive phrase of exclusion does not eliminate exclusion, but rather moves it from one group to a collection of others,” Marc Randazza, First Amendment counsel to TST, wrote in the letter.
“We cannot allow opportunistic politicians to insist on collapsing the wall of separation between Church and State as a consolation for the removal of Confederate iconography,” TST spokesperson, Lucien Greaves, states. “They are not being given a choice of whom they can marginalize next.”
TST made it clear that this is a constitutional issue and TST will pursue legal action if the state chooses to move forward with this plan.
“We trust that you will take our request under advisement. However, should the state of Mississippi insist on placing this exclusionary religious phrase on its flag, we do intend to file suit and seek injunctive relief against this act,” the letter said.
“The Satanic Temple is fully dedicated to preserving Religious Liberty, and that includes the rights of non-believers and believers of alternative faiths to live free of government coercion or sanction related to their personal religious opinions,” Greaves explains. “To us, this is no small matter.”
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About The Satanic Temple
The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits for the individual will. For more information about The Satanic Temple, visit https://thesatanictemple.com/.
