Say Anything Blog

The Architect of the Capital is in charge of handling requests for the flags flown over the capital.  Citizens can request that a flag flown over the capital be sent to them or a loved one complete with a certificate certifying the origin that is inscribed with a message of their choosing.  Obviously, certain limitations are put on what you can have on the inscription.  Profane or obscene inscriptions aren’t allowed, but its a policy against allowing religious references in the inscription that has some people upset.

And rightfully so, I think.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today defended the Architect of the Capitol’s refusal to permit use of the word “God” on official certificates enclosed with flags flown over the U.S. Capitol.

Dayton-area GOP Rep. Michael Turner and more than 100 of his Republican colleagues sent a letter to Pelosi last week after an Eagle Scout in his district asked that a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol be sent to his grandfather with a certificate inscribed with the message: “In honor of my grandfather Marcel Larochelle, and his dedication and love of God, country, and family.”

The boy and his father contacted Turner’s office after noticing the word “God” was left off the certificate included with the flag. Outraged upon learning that the acting Architect of the Capitol, Stephen T. Ayers, won’t allow religious expressions on flag certificates, Turner sent a protest letter to Pelosi.

“The Architect’s policy prohibiting “God” from appearing on certificates for flags flown over the U.S. Capitol puts at risk our religious freedoms and heritage,” said the letter, which also was signed by Ohio Republican Reps

I’m not sure this puts anyone’s freedom of religion and/or religious heritage at risk, but it also seems more than a little unreasonable to deny such a non-controversial inscription as what was requested.  Pelosi’s response asserted that the certificate inscriptions are to be limited to the date the flag was flown and the name of the person receiving it, but the Architect’s office included the requested inscription leaving out only God because of the anti-religion policy.

Seems to me like a better solution is to just let the people request the inscription they want with prohibitions only on things like profanity.  But that probably makes entirely too much sense.