FIFTY YEARS “UNDER GOD”

50th Anniversary of “Under God” in the Pledge Could be the be the Last

Washington, DC - June 15th marks the 50th anniversary of the date the words “under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. Ironically, this anniversary falls within days of the expected Supreme Court ruling in the controversial case Newdow v. Elk Grove.

Online conservative issues organization Grassfire.org, is continuing the fight to keep the phrase “under God” in the Pledge with the launch of a massive, nationwide campaign designed to reach more than 2 million supporters by the June 15 anniversary. The campaign, entitled “50 Years Under God,” will make extensive use of the radio, newspaper and the Internet.

Since the 2002 ruling against the Pledge by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, CA, Grassfire.org has been at the epicenter of the Pledge debate. “People want to make this a church and state issue, and that’s nonsense,” says Steve Elliott, president of Grassfire. “Our founding fathers recognized the importance of God’s hand in the foundation of our nation. This is historical fact that we won’t allow to be re-written.”

In addition to rallying more than 600,000 citizen supporters for the Pledge, only weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court heard the oral arguments in the Pledge case, filed an Amicus Brief with the High Court that included the signatures of nearly 175,000.

“Our efforts are all focused on keeping the Pledge alive and well for generations that follow,” says Elliott.

Additional Grassfire.org efforts in support of the Pledge included a prgoressive letter-writing campaigns that resulted in more than 40,000 letters reaching each of the nine justices on the Supreme Court; petition presentations to the Courts and to elected officials; and the mobilization of more than 600,000 Pledge supporters from around the nation in reaction to Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) intentional omission of “Under God” from the House’s daily recital of the Pledge. Grassfire.org’s efforts resulted in McDermott’s office being flooded with thousands of emails, faxes and phone calls protesting his omission.

Grassfire.org is an online grassroots organization that provides tools to individuals and organizations seeking to expand their impact on many of today's most important issues. By providing services to more than 1.5 million citizens and dozens of organizations, Grassfire.org is one of the largest online grassroots networks in the nation.

For more information about Grassfire.org, or to schedule an interview with Grassfire President Steve Elliott, contact Max Pulsinelli at 703-739-5920 or email pulsinelli@sbpublicaffairs.com.