Porterville (Calif.) to vote on official motto: 'In God We Trust'

[Newsjock]

Source: Fresno Bee

... Now city officials plan to ask voters to put God back into local government -- or at least on city stationery -- with the words "In God We Trust." A measure on the June 3 ballot would declare those words the city's official motto.

There is one public opponent of the measure: Jerry Waller, one of seven people running for City Council on the same ballot. But his main objection is that Porterville already has two perfectly good unofficial mottos -- "The Good Life" and "All-America City."

... Like (Council Member Pedro "Pete") Martinez, many who are running for three open seats on the council like the idea of having a motto that reflects the faith of Porterville's Christian citizens.

... Waller, who is a Christian, is the only dissenter. In addition to his concern about the other mottos, he worries the ballot measure could attract unneeded trouble to the city.

"It's going to create lawsuits," he said. "It's going to create a lot of problems from these atheists."

Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/623204.html

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Special bonus ... a 'halo' photo of Martinez at the link

[Journeyman]

1. I once fished in Lake Success, a few miles east of Porterville . . .

there's a liquor store on the approach to the lake, just before you get to the dam. A big sign above it reads: "Best Beer by a Dam Site."

That'd make a good slogan for the city, too.

Porterville: Best City by a Dam Site

Be a good slogan. Wouldn't attract any "unneeded trouble" either. And given the town's proximity to the dam, directly beneath the 142 foot tall earthen structure, I suspect their faith in that dam has to be at least the equal of their faith in God, if not more so, since the dam was built by fragile humans, prone to error.

[LaPera]

2. That's the valley...next to that conservative (republican) bastion, the foothills ...The

North Coast breathes fresh air...I lived too long in that there valley...

Must be the crazy Michael Savage disciples....Is there a station in the vicinity, KSFO?

We here have a moderate congressman cracker named Mike Thompson, a know nothing, do nothing fuck also known as a 'democrat' from St. Helena, CA, yet he still 'represents' us here on the North Coast of Humbodlt Co.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Maybe he's dyslexic

and it should read " In Dog We Trust" :shrug:

[Shipwack]

4. If they added...

"... All others pay cash.", I would get behind the measure.

Think they'd compromise?

[boobooday]

5. "these atheists"

He really should fear his God, who had some kind of rule about graven images.

[kimmylavin]

11. That galled me, too.

Why is it perfectly acceptable to say something like "these atheists"?
I don't go around looking for trouble.
I just prefer that my religion (or lack thereof) be a PERSONAL thing, and I wish I could expect the same thing from others.

When it comes to politics, I don't trust in God.
I trust in the Constitution and our very flawed, very human representatives.
God's got nothing to do with it...

[Politicalboi]

6. I think we

Should take it off our currency as it is. It doesn't belong there, and it shouldn't be a city motto. Especially in Ca. I can see the southern states but Ca. At least when you travel and you go through the southern states you know your gonna run into it. Personally it scares me being an Atheist and a lesbian.

[PassingFair]

7. Technically, then you are referred to as a "Gaytheist".

:)

Have you visited our forum?

Atheist/Agnostic Room.

[shadowknows69]

8. Do legislatures ever do any real work anymore?

Have all the laws we need been passed already?

[jamesinca]

9. Yep, at least in Porterville.

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. I turned down a job offer at the Porterville Recorder

about four years ago. I liked what the newspaper was doing, or trying to do, but the town itself was dingy, lifeless and depressing.

I also would've had to deal, perhaps directly, with people like this:

God has a place in our government

God a part of the American fabric

City council making the right decision

Ours is a nation built on faith



Glad to know I made the right decision.

Interesting, though — I can't find a single word in the Recorder about the "In god we trust" thing since last November.