A routine Thursday meeting of the Mobile County Commission turned into a heated public debate on June 19, 2014, after commissioners took up a proposal to hang an “In God We Trust” plaque inside Government Plaza in downtown Mobile.
Nine members of the public signed up to speak on the item, and eight of them urged the commission to reject the display, while only one speaker voiced support. The commission ultimately approved the plaque on a 2-1 vote, with the display to be paid for entirely through private donations rather than public funds.
Opponents Raised Religious Freedom Concerns
A Faulkner State Community College student who addressed the commission first argued that the motto would divide the community on religion and proposed the Latin phrase “E pluribus unum” as an alternative that would not exclude non-religious residents. She identified herself as an atheist and said the plaque would make people like her feel excluded in a public building.
A Unitarian Universalist minister told commissioners he opposed the display on religious grounds, saying the First Amendment was meant to keep religion out of government and government out of religion. A former Catholic priest also spoke against the proposal, and the president of a national atheist organization suggested alternative phrasing such as “In Our Citizens We Trust” or “In the Constitution We Trust.”
Supporters Cited Historical Precedent
Commissioner Jerry Carl pushed back on the idea that the phrase specifically endorsed Christianity, arguing that the word “God” could mean different things to different people. A local real estate agent and Tea Party member who spoke in favor of the plaque cited historical quotes from Benjamin Franklin referencing divine providence as precedent for including the phrase in a government building.
One Commissioner Dissented
Commissioner Merceria Ludgood was the lone vote against the plaque, telling the packed room that she believed the commission’s role should be secular and that Government Plaza belonged to all residents regardless of their beliefs. She called the plaque “legally dubious” and said she personally trusted in God but did not believe that view should be legislated for others. Her remarks drew applause from the audience, prompting Commission President Connie Hudson to ask the crowd to keep quiet for the sake of decorum.
Hudson, who voted in favor of the plaque, defended it as reflecting the country’s official national motto, noting it already appears on U.S. currency and in the Pledge of Allegiance. She emphasized that no taxpayer money would be used to fund or install the display, which was still awaiting a final location inside the building after the vote.