Oklahoma Adopts Godly State Motto

Oklahoma didn’t have an official state motto before… but Rep. Danny Morgan is about to change that. His legislation — House Concurrent Resolution 1024 — will soon make the new motto: “Oklahoma — In God We Trust”:

WHEREAS, while the words “In God We Trust” were added to United States coins in 1864, it was not until 1956 that this phrase replaced “E Pluribus Unum” as the United States national motto; and

WHEREAS, although the State of Florida adopted the phrase “In God We Trust” as the official motto of their state in 2006, Oklahoma Motto, Inc., believes that “Oklahoma — In God We Trust!” would be both different and legal.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 53RD OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN:

THAT the official motto of the State of Oklahoma is hereby declared to be: “Oklahoma — In God We Trust!”.

Of course, there a voice of reason, but he’s no longer in the state legislature:

The entire idea of adopting a new motto is a waste of time and a slight to the state’s residents who may not believe in God, said Ryan Kiesel, a former Democratic lawmaker and now the executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

“I think that this frivolous waste of legislative time takes away from the sincere meaning of our current state motto and discounts the fact that Oklahoma has believers and non-believers alike,” Kiesel said.

The state Senate still has to approve the motto but there’s no indication they’re going to come to their senses.

Morgan’s been trying to pass this resolution for at least a couple of years now. His 2010 campaign website indicates his desire to push god into government:

I find God in the world around me every day – in the earth beneath my feet and the sky above, and in the hearts of friends and strangers. This past year I thought it fitting to recognize the role of God in our lives, and I introduced a resolution to adopt “In God We Trust” as the official state motto of Oklahoma. Our state has and continues to face turmoil in every conceivable form – from loss and tragedy, illness and disease, to financial upheaval and instability so deep that the light at the end of the tunnel appears lost. In these difficult times I turn to God in prayer, and I feel as though our state can and will regain some balance if it takes its first step forward in faith.

…

My resolution to adopt the state motto of “In God We Trust” was not heard this past session, but I plan to reintroduce this measure. Going on faith and prayer, I hope to be successful in adopting this motto and honoring the role of God in our lives.

Once again, god has been pushed into an area in which he doesn’t belong.

(Thanks to Beau for the link)

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T-Rex

Delusional theocrat is a delusional theocrat.
AJ

As much as I agree this is a waste of time and should be illegal, the fact remains that until the national motto “In God We Trust” is changed, it will remain perfectly legal for states to adopt something similar. The also goes for putting various God slogans on license plates.

I do see some silver lining here though. The courts have upheld the constitutionality of “In God We Trust” as the national motto by saying that no specific god is recognized and it’s more of an aphorism than an endorsement of any particular religion. The more we can get it on the books that this god they are referring to is not some abstract god, but the God of Christianity, the more ammunition we have for future lawsuits.
Paul Reed

“I feel x, I believe x, therefore we should all do x”
Um, no.
Jay Arrrr

I had to run to my coin jar to check, but I think “E Pluribus Unum” is still the OFFICIAL motto of the Yoo-knighted States… Yup, it’s on the coins, but not the folding stuff…

“In gawd We Trust” was put on the money in ’56 because the religionists thought that since all Commies were Atheists that we’d (the Atheists, I’m just a Socialist)burn our fingers or something if we tried to handle money with the Holy Name on it.

Sort of like how Commie’s tongues were supposed to explode in their heads if they tried to recite the pledge and got to the “under gawd” part.
Chris Leithiser

Dumbest state in the Union. At least, judging by its elected officials. Guess the smart ones left during the Dust Bowl days.
C High

Nope. IGWT is the motto as of 1956. EPU was never officially the US’s national motto.
Lee Miller

Would you trust your small children with someone who looks like this guy? I sure as hell wouldn’t. Creeeeepy.
Rbray18

unoriginal and unconstitutional yeah that pretty much sums up my home state of Oklahoma.
Anonymous

In Oklahoma, how or what can one do?
Joeannwalker

HELP Danny Morgan is my rep. I am spitting mad and probably not writing my best at this moment. Living in OK my response cannot have blatant atheism references, but here is what I have come up with so far. FEEDBACK WELCOME!!!—–
I am very
disappointed with the new state motto you put forth. If you had asked
your constituents which motto felt they represented them the most, you
might have gotten so other suggestions, especially from this
constituent.

Here are some ideas:

For Brilliance We Strive
In Education We Trust
Where Neighbors Always Help Neighbors.

Not
only should you not assume that that motto represents all of your
voters, it is a rather pointless waste of our local government’s time
and not very impressive or creative on Oklahoma’s part, especially when
each and every denomination of US currency already carries that motto.

How about a motto we can brag about. I for one do not watch Fox news or listen to Rush Limbaugh.

If this motto passes, not only will you not get my vote in the future, but I will actively support any rational running mate.
Joeannwalker

Nevermind my rant, I did not realize it had already passed the house and Morgan is term limited. I will work on my state senators now.
Joeannwalker

Hey there are at least a few of us in Oklahoma that aren’t all bad.
Joeannwalker

Go here : http://www.oksenate.gov/FindMyLegislature.aspx Find out who your state senator is and contact him/her.
Georgina

Since the people like to trust their Rep and this Rep appears to trust more in fantasy Gestalten than in reason, truth, honesty, hard work and self respect, you – and thousands more – will be unable to continue trusting him and will be voting elsewhere.

Some politicians seem to think callin for a prayer meeting after a tragedy ia ‘doing their job’. This guy sounds like one of them, unable to do his job he likes to pretend some mythical creature will do it for him.
Bill Santagata

Geeze can’t they come up with an original god-motto? They have every right to make this their state motto, but a state motto should be something specific to the state. Simply co-opting the national motto as your own is bland and uncreative. Adding the exclamation mark at the end is just cheesy and sticking the name of the state at the beginning feels like something you’d write on a “Weclome to Oklahoma!” sign at the border.

Wikipedia says that the current motto of Oklahoma is “Labor omnia vincit,” Latin for “Hard work conquers all.”If they want to put God in their motto, I think it should be “Sit on your butt and pray to God; He’ll do all the work!”
Anonymous

Please go to
http://www.okhouse.gov/FindMyLegislature.aspx to call your State Senator.
Kevin_jordan07

I like the talk of how it is so wrong to have God pushed on to anyone or into anyone’s lives, when its the lack thereof that is being pushed into the lives of Christians everywhere. Kind of one sided don’t you think? “In God We Trust” is slated for a motto and here comes the Atheists and Agnostics crying out un-constitutional!! What is unconstitutional about an elected official proposing such a measure? What is unconstitutional about other elected officials ratifying such a measure if they believe it is what their electors want? If you don’t like it, move to a state that agrees more with your way of thinking. Anyone who has a lick of since knows that Oklahoma lies in the Bible Belt.
Chet214

5 stars for Oklahoma We honor GOD And we honor our DAV’s
Thank you Danny Morgan

Chester w Reyckert