he United States Postal Service has announced that it will display posters bearing the religionized national motto of "In God We Trust" in all of its 38,000 outlets across the country.

   According to news service reports and a story in the November 16,2002 edition of the Houston Chronicle newspaper, the posters will resemble a large stamp featuring the Statue of Liberty in the middle with the phrase printed above the crown. The move comes in response to pressure from various groups like the American Family Association, and a Texas man, Frank Williamson, who has been waging his own campaign to have the motto displayed in schools, postal offices, police stations and other buildings.

   Word of the decision by the postal service has spread, and the issue has already been discussed on the popular Fox news network program, "The O'Reily Factor."

   Last month, Williamson was informed that authorities decided not to display his own donated posters in post offices in several Texas communities. A postal service spokesman, however, said that while department regulation No. 232 on "depositing literature" and "soliciting and electioneering" bans posters and handbills from individuals, it does not prevent the United States Postal Service from putting up its own material.

   A contract postal station in the town of "Cut and Shoot" continued to display Williamson's 16-by-20 inch poster, though, since it was a privately operated facility and did not fall under USPS regulations.

   The sudden decision by postal authorities comes just days after President Bush signed into law a bill reinforcing the use of the words "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, and "In God We Trust" as the national motto. The latter has not always been the nation's official slogan, though, nor was "under God" included in the original pledge.

   The law also faults the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court for its ruling in June that found the use of "under God" in the Pledge to be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. That suit was brought by Atheist Michael Newdow, a California physician and attorney who argued that the inclusion of the words violated the First Amendment of the Constitution by advocating a monotheistic belief system.

   The national motto had originally been the Latin phrase "E Pluribus Unum," "Out of Many, One." On July 11, 1955, then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Public Law 140 mandating that all coins and currency bear the slogan "In God We Trust." The following year, on July 30, 1956, Eisenhower signed Public Law 851, striking the original national motto and replacing it with the religious slogan.

   Display of the motto has become an action item for many religious right groups, and is often coupled with efforts to present symbols linked to religion, such as the Ten Commandments, in schools, public squares and government offices.

   The new law criticized the Ninth Circuit for its "erroneous rationale" and "absurd result." The measure was approved unanimously in the Senate, and elicited just five "no" votes in the House of Representatives. Those voting against the measure included Reps. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, Michael Honda, Pete Stark of California, Bobby Scott of Virginia and James McDermott of Washington. Scott branded the legislation as "totally gratuitous," although opined that he shared the House's objections to the Ninth Circuit ruling.

   Back in Texas, Williamson launched another round in his campaign to contact federal officials after having his "In God We Trust" posters yanked by postal authorities.

   "I did it after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 because I wanted everyone to remember that our nation has always been successful because our forefathers put their trust in God," he told the Chronicle.

   A postal official said that there was no determination yet on the cost of producing the posters for the tens of thousands of mail outlets across the country, nor a timetable for their display.

   "This is another slap in the face at every Atheist, Freethinker, Humanist or anyone else who does not believe in religion," said Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists. "How 'welcome' and "consumer friendly' is the United States Postal Service being when it sends a message promoting sectarian religion?"

   "A postal office is a government facility, and it should be neutral and avoid proselytizing its customers, as well as those who work there."

   American Atheists is launching a campaign to stop the USPS from displaying the religionized motto, and urges those concerned to write a polite letter to John E. Potter, Postmaster General and CEO of the Postal Service. Potter may be reached through:

John Potter, Postmaster General
United States Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington, DC
20260

Phone: 202-268-2000

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