A new White House petition wants America to take a greater step toward separation of church and state.
In the wake of Kim Davis‘ refusal to execute her duties, a petition has appeared on the White House’s website calling for a federal law mandating public officials be sworn in on the U.S. Constitution, not the Bible. Davis, of course, is the public official elected to office in November who admits she assumed the Supreme Court would find a civil right to marriage for same-sex couples, yet refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Yesterday afternoon a federal judge found her in contempt of court. She now sits in jail until she resigns or agrees to obey the rule of law.
“How can a person be asked to uphold the Constitution of the United States when they use the bible to be sworn into office and are asked to swear to God?,” the petition asks.
Petitions on the White House site need 100,000 signatures or more before the administration is obligated to respond to them. Created just yesterday, the petition has garnered 39 supporters.
“In an effort prevent future instances of public officials using their religion to justify their own bigotry, we demand that legislation be passed at a federal level that bans the use of the bible, or any other religious text, at the swearing in ceremonies of public officials. Instead, public servants will be asked to uphold the Constitution of the United States by swearing in on the Constitution of the United States. Leave God and religion out of it!”
No doubt conservatives and the religious right would mount a huge offensive should any federal (or state, for that matter) lawmaker actually introduce such a bill, but in theory it’s accurate and correct.
What do you think? Any chance a bill like this could get traction? Would you sign the petition?
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Image by Chuck Coker via Flickr and a CC license