Sep 13, 2014 2 min read

We spend a lot of time on this page taking whacks at the actions of our governmental bodies, whether they be local, state or federal, but there are times when they deserve credit for making solid, common-sense decisions, and the recent action by members of Allegheny County Council to reject a proposal to slap “In God We Trust” on the wall of their meeting room in the county courthouse falls into the latter category.

The prime proponent of the plan, Councilwoman Sue Means, a Republican from Bethel Park who describes herself as an evangelical Christian, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette before Tuesday’s vote, “It’s our national motto. It’s patriotism. It’s history.”

No, it’s just another attempt, one of many going on across the country, to give the appearance a government entity supports one particular religious sect over all others, and over the views of those who don’t believe any of them offer a path to everlasting salvation.

In fact, “In God We Trust” has been the national motto only since the 1950s, during the paranoid “red scare” era, the same time period when the words “under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance.

If Means and others like her want to trust their particular God, that’s their business and no one should attempt to dissuade them. But they should not expect government, at any level, to assist them in building their brand.

Democratic County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who vowed to veto the proposal if it passed, stated his opposition eloquently in an interview with KDKA-TV.

“I’m a Catholic, but I also realize that my religion isn’t the answer for everybody,” said Fitzgerald. “I understand that other people have different beliefs, and we should be tolerant of those beliefs. In fact, not just tolerant, but welcoming.”