The city of Brevard County is dealing with a controversial situation. The sheriff’s department is being instructed to remove a familiar slogan from their vehicles. The phrase “In God We Trust” is commonly placed onto the sheriff’s department vehicles. However, there are many people within Brevard County and the state of Florida who do not agree with this slogan. They want the sheriff’s department to remove the phrase from community police vehicles. However, Sheriff Wayne Ivey doesn’t agree with this move. The phrase “In God We Trust” has been on police vehicles since they were first created in the early 1900’s.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is an American non-profit organization. This organization is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. They promote a policy where church and state are separated. They also make it a point to inform the public about issues pertaining to agnosticism, atheism, and nontheistic traditions.
The organization has been around since the 1970’s and they have been actively promoting an anti-Christian agenda since that time. However, they are not necessarily against Christianity but having Christian beliefs and teachings promoted in society. The Freedom From Religion Foundation wanted the slogan to be removed because they believe that this slogan does not belong on city government’s vehicle. In God We Trust is a national and state motto that has been around since police vehicles were first authorized for operation. Annie Laurie Gaylor is the co-president of the organization. She declared that taxpayer spending on government vehicles should not include religious messages. The co-president of FFRF also stated that officers should not rely on the judgment of a deity over the judgment of the law.
The Brevard County Sheriff is not budging on this issue. He supports this motto and he also declared that this motto is also endorsed by the greater community in Brevard. Sheriff Wayne also points out that taxpayers will not have to pay in time or money because this slogan is printed on the side of vehicles. Apparently, the Boniface Heirs Automotive Group is paying for part of the Sheriff’s department’s decals with this slogan.
Sheriff Wayne realizes that groups such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation are always trying to change people’s choices and tradition. However, Sheriff Wayne will not back down form this organization. He the people of Brevard county to understand that he will continue to serve them without being intimated by groups such as the FFRF. While Sheriff Wayne realizes that many people don’t agree with the slogan “In God we Trust”; he is aware of the law. He knows that he has a legal right to place this slogan onto public vehicles. He is not breaking the law by allowing this phrase to remain on sheriff department squad cars.
