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Despite ACLU Pushback, California City Adding 'In God We Trust' to Police and Fire Vehicles

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Despite the American Civil Liberties Union’s objections, the city of Bakersfield, California, has approved placing decals with the words “In God We Trust” on police and fire vehicles.

The Bakersfield City Council approved the decals Wednesday on a 4-2 vote, KPTV reported. Private sector supporters, not city taxpayers, will pay for the decals.

“I love the motto. It’s meaningful. It’s powerful. Those words are intended to encourage,” said council member Jacquie Sullivan, according to The Bakersfield Californian.

The vote came after a two-hour debate in which 19 of 30 speakers opposed the decals, while 11 supported them. One voice raised in opposition belonged to ACLU attorney Jordan Wells.

“Placing ‘In God We Trust‘ on police cars is bad public policy,” he said.

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“Unlike God, police officers are fallible. Their conduct should be scrutinized by the public, and when they overstep their authority, we must insist on accountability,” Wells said.

The initial impetus for putting the motto on Bakersfield police and fire vehicles came from pastor and police chaplain Angelo Frazier, according to The Californian.

“I’m doing this from the right heart. I’m not against anyone. I’m encouraging people that there is something bigger than us. I just happen to call it God,” he said, noting that police agencies in other states have the motto on their vehicles.

“[My hope] is that the community comes out and speaks, because whatever the council decides, I’m OK with that. This is not about me. This is more about us as a community,” he said.

Do you support putting "In God We Trust" on police and fire vehicles?

When he spoke to the council Wednesday, Frazier focused on the timing of the vote.

“This is our time to uphold the values of courageousness and the amazing sacrifices of those that stormed the beaches of Normandy,” Frazier said, referring to the 75th anniversary of D-Day, which took place the day after the vote.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who represents the city in Congress, supported the motto.

“The law enforcement officers of Bakersfield are some of the best in the country who work day in, day out to protect our community,” the Republican said in a statement.

“Displaying ‘In God We Trust’ – the official motto of the United States – on Bakersfield Police Department cars is a testament to each officer’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and defending the city of Bakersfield and its residents,” he said.

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The Bakersfield Police Department had not taken a stand on the issue.

Bakersfield council members Willie Rivera and Andrae Gonzales opposed putting the motto on city vehicles.

“I think it’s clear this decision doesn’t represent everybody in this community, and I think this is a problem,” Rivera said.

“The God I believe in is much bigger than a bumper sticker,” Gonzales said in explaining his opposition.

A group known as The Original Motto Project, which promotes the phrase e pluribus unum [“Out of many, one”], also opposed the motto.

“In God We Trust, though it is currently enshrined by law as the official motto of the United States, is inherently divisive,” Executive Director Robert Ray said in an email to the city on the issue. “Not only does it exclude a significant minority – i.e. the nonreligious – but it also excludes those religions that believe in multiple gods, as well as those that believe in none [like Buddhists].”

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Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com.
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Politics, Foreign Policy, Military & Defense Issues




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