Ohio State Motto Upheld by Court
	CINCINNATI, Ohio (EP) - Ohio's state motto - "With God all things are possible" - was ruled constitutional March 16 in a 9-4 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.     That decision by the full circuit court reverses a 2-1 ruling last year by a three-judge panel of the court. That panel ruled that the motto promoted Christianity, violating the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. However, the full court ruled that the motto is constitutionally permitted since it makes not specific reference to the biblical source of the phrase (it is a quote from Jesus, recorded in Matthew 19:26).     "We...would add that, just as the motto does not have as its primary purpose the advancement of religion, it does not have the primary effect of advancing religion, either," appellate Judge David A. Nelson wrote for the majority.     Lawyers for the state argued that the motto should be permitted since the words "In God We Trust" are allowed on U.S. currency.     Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, which represented the state in the case, said, "This is an important victory for freedom and a sound defeat for those who want to strip our nation of its religious heritage. The decision comes at a time when there is a national movement underway to remove any mention of 'God' from the public arena."     Ohio Gov. Bob Taft called the ruling "a victory for the people of our state and the traditions that bind us together."     Ohio adopted its motto in 1959. The motto is used on stationery, tax forms and reports, and appears on a bronze plate placed in the sidewalk near the Statehouse in Columbus.     The decision came in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of Matthew Peterson, a Presbyterian minister from Cleveland who objects to the motto. The ACLU may appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.     In a related story, a new law requiring Mississippi's public schools to display the motto "In God We Trust" was signed into law March 23. Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, who signed the bill despite the threat of a lawsuit by the ACLU, said, "Our nation was founded as a godly nation and we put it on our money, 'In God We Trust.'" Supporters of the proposal believe it will withstand a court challenge because the motto was officially adopted by Congress in 1956 and appears on U.S. currency.
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