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CNN Live Event/Special
Senate Opens With Citing of Pledge of Allegiance
Aired June 27, 2002 - 09:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Floor of the U.S. Senate quickly. We were told earlier today that there was a strong possibility they would open up that session of the Senate with the citing of the Pledge of Allegiance. If indeed that happens, we were take you there.
Here now on the floor.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... and providential source of all our blessings. We praise you for the freedom of religion in America, guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and our Constitution. We acknowledge the separation of sectarianism and state, but affirm the belief that there is no separation between God and state. With gratitude we declare our motto, in God we trust, though that trust may be expressed in different religions.
We do proclaim you as ultimate sovereign of our nation. Our founders declared their trust in you. And in each stage of our development, you have guided us through peril and prosperity, peace and war. Thank you for your faithfulness to respond to our confession of trust in you.
It is with reverence that in a moment, we will repeat the words of commitment to trust you, which are part of our pledge of allegiance to our flag.
One nation, under God, indivisible. Help us to savor these words this morning. May we never lose a profound sense of awe and wonder over the privilege you have given us to live in this religiously free land. Renew our sense of accountability to you, and may we never take for granted the freedom that we enjoy, nor the accountability we have to you.
As we declare our convictions in the pledge we affirm that patriotism is an essential expression our trust in you. Specifically, for today, and its pressing agenda and challenges, we affirm that we are one Senate, united under you to lead a nation that is free to say confidently, "in God we trust."
Amen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let us repeat the pledge of allegiance of the flag of the United States. SENATORS: To the republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
HEMMER: That was the moment we were waiting for Reverend Lloyd Oglevee (ph), first with that invocation this morning with the Senate opening up for business. Normally, we are told, this is the time of the day where that Senate chamber is largely empty. Today, though a full house. And with good reason, given the events of yesterday, and the resolution that was passed quite quickly yesterday, 99-0.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Because Jessie Helms is in the hospital.
HEMMER: Otherwise, it would have been 100-0. Those politicians in Washington certainly reacted swiftly to the news from California yesterday. We have the politician side of this, and we also have the American people and their reaction. For that, Brian Cabell is live in Atlanta, taking a sample for us.
Brian, good morning.
BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill, we've been at Joe Mugg's (ph) newsstand and coffee shop for the last couple of hours. I've say I've talked to maybe 20 people over these last two hours. I have yet to find one opinion favorable to yesterday's ruling.
Let's talk to a couple of people right now, as a matter of fact, a couple of best friends, sharing coffee and pastries.
This is Sherry Camp Paulson (ph), first of all. You are a playwright. What's your feeling about the opinion yesterday out of San Francisco?
SHERRY CAMP PAULSON (ph): I just -- I was shocked and appalled. And I felt like why -- this country as a majority I think would rule in favor of the Pledge of Allegiance, and how we can have a court take the side of somebody that is obviously in the minority and make that, you know, something that's a law, and I think it's in seven states as well, six other states besides California. I mean, it seems like we've lost our freedom as a country to express our feelings about God.
CABELL: Let's talk to your friend Bonnie Woods (ph). We hear there's supposed to be separation between church and state. When we mention god and the Pledge of Allegiance, is that not a violation of the separation?
BONNIE WOODS (ph): I believe that our forefathers fought for the freedom of religion and not freedom from religion. And I'm disappointed in the court's recent ruling, and what I would like for the country to be looking at right now, is what's the next step to change this, as opposed to now we know the majority of people in the United States seem to be opposed to it. What can we do now to change this status back to where the majority wants it to be?
CABELL: Should the children on the west coast defy what the court has ruled?
WOODS: Yes.
CABELL: Just ignore what the court has said and continue with it?
WOODS: Well, perhaps respect their parents who probably would say to do that.
CABELL: Thank you very much, ladies.
Let's talk to one more person down here. We have Stephen Schwartz (ph), a real estate developer, who also is outspoken. What's your feeling about this? Good decision? Bad decision?
STEPHEN SCHWARTZ (ph): I think it's a bad decision. I think the decision doesn't reference specific religion. So they should be no harm in it. The currency, for instance, says "in God we trust." So it's seems fairly neutral. I wouldn't change the present Pledge of Allegiance.
CABELL: What about an atheist, who doesn't want to mention the word "God." He may well have a problem with it. I understand that. But I think the Constitution also mention God and the creator a number of times, so I think I think it's OK.
WOODS: Thank you very much Mr. Schwartz (ph).
That is the opinion that we've gotten repeatedly, Bill. There us a consensus, a unanimity, as a matter of fact, nobody we've talked to so far favors the ruling yesterday in California.
Back to you.
HEMMER: Thank you, Brian. Taking the pulse down there in Atlanta, Brian Cabell.
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