U.S. Seal Adopted Over Motto Display
Posted by Daniel Antolin on Jan 11, 2012 - 8:02:51 AM
U.S. Seal. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
MALIBU—Without much discussion, members of the Malibu City Council voted unanimously on
Monday, January 9 to display "E plurbus unum," a phrase on the U.S. Seal which in Latin means
"Out of many, one," in the council's office.
This was in stark contrast to the contentious discussion that took place in December 2011 when "In God We Trust," the national motto, was initially proposed.
Pamela Conley Ulich brought the matter to her fellow councilmembers to
consider in light of the U.S. Congress, including Malibu Representative
Henry A. Waxman, having voted one month prior to reaffirm the motto. Ulich had already secured the display at her own expense.
In response to public criticism of her proposal, Ulich said she was
exercising her First Amendment right to free speech to do the right
thing by following Congress's example. She added that no one owned the
market on the motto in that it belongs to everyone.
Two members of the
public had accused Ulich of allowing herself to be influenced by an
outside group to push a religious agenda and of being inconsistent in
her stance against government overstepping its regulatory role on
private citizens' lives. Ulich had earlier in the meeting made it clear
that she was not comfortable with the city dictating to Malibu High
School when it can light its main sports field. She said this while
lending her support to passing the first reading of an ordinance toward this end.
Mayor Laura Zahn
Rosenthal said the agenda item originated from the Bakersfield,
Calif.-based group In God We Trust-America, Inc. mentioned in a city
staff report. The non-profit group had set up a booth at a League of
California Cities event in September to convince U.S. cities to display
the national motto in their halls and headquarters. Though Rosenthal, Mayor Pro Tem Lou La Monte and Ulich were in attendance, Ulich claims she never met anyone from the group.
Later at the
meeting, a speaker supporting Ulich's proposal equated a city displaying
the national motto with showing its patriotism. Councilmember John
Sibert characterized this point of view as "just plain wrong."
"There's an
epidemic sweeping the nation where gratitude for freedom is being
replaced by arrogant entitlement. The thirst for freedom and the spirit
of 1776 is slowly being diluted. There are times to swim with [the]
current but on matters of principle times to stand like a rock," the
speaker said.
"Patriotism is not
just waving a flag," she said. "Sometimes it's blazing a trail with
blood, sweat and tears, and hoping that maybe it will give others
courage to follow because there are no atheists in foxholes."
-
Serving Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Beverly Hills. Brentwood, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Topanga, Canyon, Westwood & Hollywood Hills.
