Defeated MN GOP Lawmaker: “We Can All Agree” on the Phrase “In God We Trust”

Minnesota State Sen. Dan Hall, a Republican, recently lost his re-election bid, so the local Sun Thisweek newspaper ran an article about his final act in the legislature: A possible COVID relief package.

During an interview for that piece, though, Hall talked about some of the legislation he proposed during his career. It won’t surprise you to learn one bill he boasted about involved religion. But look at how his ignorance shines through when bragging about it:

[Hall is] proud of having authored a bill allowing public schools to display, by their choice and at their expense, plaques or other markers with the national motto, “In God We Trust.” It failed to gain then-DFL Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature, Hall said.

“Most people would say it’s the national motto — put it up!” Hall said. “It doesn’t say ‘In Jesus We Trust.’ It doesn’t say ‘In Allah We Trust.’ It says ‘In God We Trust,’ and I think we can all agree on that.”

Apparently we all agree to trust in God. I mean, no doubt that’s a reference to the Christian God — which is part of the problem — but even beyond that, the endorsement of theism doesn’t belong in schools either.

It’s appalling that Hall is oblivious to the fact that 20% of people in his state are non-religious.

But leave it to a guy who still hasn’t figured out how the First Amendment has functioned throughout our history to make an ignorant comment like that:

Hall said many confuse “separation of church and state” as a constitutional edict, though the phrase isn’t in the Constitution. But he suspects the erroneous interpretation is taught in many schools, which is “very, very sad.”

How dare they teach true things in school?! Blasphemy!…

Putting the national motto in schools isn’t about patriotism. It’s about shoving religion in everyone’s faces. And anyone who thinks it’s a unifying idea in our nation is someone whose time in politics has long expired.

Good riddance to this kind of primitive thinking.

(Screenshot via YouTube. Thanks to Brian for the link)