Sheriff fights back at atheist's demand to remove 'In God We Trust' from patrol cars
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Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson responds to atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation's (FFRF) who demands the sheriff remove "In God We Trust" bumper stickers from all official police patrol cars.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
8/27/2015 (8 years ago)
Published in U.S.
Keywords: In God We Trust, slogan, bumper sticker, Walton County, Sheriff, Patrol cars, Atheists, Freedom From Religion Foundation
Los Angeles, California (Catholic Online) - FFRF mailed several letters of complaint to police departments and sheriff officers across the nation in protest of bumper stickers reading, "In God We Trust" on official police patrol vehicles.
Sheriff Adkinson simply replied with a letter of his own, writing, "If the Freedom From Religion Foundation wishes us to take [the stickers] off our vehicles I suggest that they get a judge's order or a new sheriff."
Adkinson added, "You are obviously unaware that 'In God We Trust' is the state motto of the state of Florida, and has been since 1886. Additionally, it is the motto of the United States."
Walton County Sheriff's Office public affairs director Corey Dobridnia claims Adkinson stands by the sheriff's letter and the county has yet to receive a response from FFRF.
Dobridnia mentioned SRB Screen Printing, the local printing company, has since donated "In God We Trust" stickers, which will be distributed "to the deputies, to their families and to anyone who wants to pick them up."
All the other Walton County Sheriff Office members support Adkinson's response and none of them have ever complained about the stickers.
Dan Barker, co-president of FFRF, told The Blaze, "We can't predict what we'll do next... We would love to sue over a case like this."
He went on to explain that an unnamed atheist police officer at an undisclosed location reached out to FFRF and complained about driving a vehicle with the "In God We Trust" bumper sticker.
Barker wants the officer to be a plaintiff and take the issue to court where they could sue, but the officer remains anonymous.
Atheist groups have been trying unsuccessfully to remove the words "In God We Trust" from American currency. Barker hopes the bumper sticker issue can lead to another opportunity to question the term's presence on public property.
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