I used to go to church in North Richland Hills, TX (in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex) and I still live in the general area, so I know that Christianity has strong roots here.

I also know that there is a small group of atheists here in the Metroplex. Some of them have been very vocal in other areas, as in the tradition around here of opening council meetings with a prayer. In almost every instance we have been stonewalled, and our grievances have gone unheeded. But usually they at least let us say why we object. So I thought the battle was against us having a theocracy — I did realize that we had to fight for the right to even talk about decisions to make city governments theocracies. That sounds un-American, to put it mildly — an unsettlingly thorough shutting down of free speech.

But that’s what happened yesterday evening. North Richland Hills City Council voted 4-1 to put “In God We Trust” in a “prominent location” in the new City Hall.

And they didn’t allow any of the residents who came to the meeting to talk about it.

As someone who has gotten a speeding ticket and had to go to the old City Hall a few years back to take care of it, I’ll say it is unsettling to go into a courtroom and see that on the wall. Even for a speeding ticket. I feel as if someone might discover I’m an atheist — maybe someone will recognizes me, and this might negatively affect me. I want the courtroom to be as focused on business and as unfocused on religion as possible.

And more than that — what about the employees who work there? What does this say about the possibility of electing a non-Christian judge or hiring a non-Christian clerk? It’s thoroughly upsetting, from several angles that need to be discussed.

What’s worse is that it wasn’t like no residents wanted to talk about it. Some of them did — among them the Metroplex Atheists, who include my friend Randy Word.

Some residents expressed anger that they were not allowed to speak before the vote…. Councilman Tim Barth said he understood that some people believed this was a “slippery slope to a theocracy.” But he voted for the resolution, saying that the Declaration of Independence has at least four references to a supreme being. “I think it is an acknowledgement of our history from the very beginning and the principles that make this country great,” Barth said.

Residents came to object to their City Hall endorsing one faith above others. The Council members knew they were there.

They knew why they were there.

They shouldn’t have passed the resolution anyway, but they could have at least listened to them.

But they didn’t even allow them to speak.

The vote was 4-1. The one dissenting vote, Council member Scott Turnage, objected.

“City Hall is intended to be utilized by people of all faiths, even by people who have no faith at all,” Turnage said. “I’m concerned what message this sends to those people or even an employee of the city who may be agnostic or even an atheist.”

Duh.

And what about the whole idea of saying “In God WE Trust” when some of that “We” are atheists who clearly don’t trust in God? Isn’t that insulting? As Randy Word pointed out:

Randy Word said after the vote that some residents are not Christian or have no belief in God, so that the mottos “effectively is a lie.” “It’s exclusionary, it’s discriminatory,” Word said. He said he wonders if people who disagree with the motto will be treated fairly.

This is shameful. This is un-American. This is squarely against free speech; it’s government working against as opposed to for the people.

Thanks, Council member Scott Turnage, for standing up. We need more like you.