Pubdate: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 Source: Maui News, The (HI) Copyright: 2002 The Maui News Contact: http://www.mauinews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259 Author: Billy R. Beasley 9TH CIRCUIT COURT NEEDS RESPONSIBLE, BUSH-PICKED JURISTS The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. The Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional? Americans should be outraged at this irresponsible decision (The Maui News, June 27 and 28). The court found that the reciting of the pledge by teachers and students "amounts to a government endorsement of religion," going so far as to compare the phrase "under God" with "under Zeus." Just last month, this radical court found that certain people could smoke marijuana on federal lands if it is part of their religion. This latest ruling is further proof that we need to end the judicial crisis and place the men and women of distinction that President Bush has nominated on the bench. While the president continues to nominate responsible jurists, Democrats in the Senate continue to play partisan games with our courts. Billy R. Beasley Kihei - --- MAP posted-by: Beth