Among the petitions the Supreme Court declined to hear yesterday was a challenge to the use of "Under God" in federal currency. The plaintiff was Michael Newdow, who famously brought cases against the use of the phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance as well.
In the currency case, Newdow argued that the inscription of the motto on money makes him an unwilling bearer of a religious message. He was turned down in October by the same appeals court panel that ruled against him in the pledge case.
Judge Carlos Bea wrote that the court recognized in a 1970 ruling that the motto has a "patriotic or ceremonial character" and "has no theological or ritualistic impact."
