Court Opinion

ID: 9735303
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 18:08:34.735755+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:57.067499
License: Public Domain

ASHBURN, J.
I dissent. The brief time which will elapse before the effective date of my retirement precludes elaboration of my views. Stated briefly they are as follows.
The making and furnishing of film prints of the Bethlehem Star Parade fall within the category of a public purpose the expense of which may be borne by a special tax under section 26100, Government Code—“for the purpose of inducing immigration to, and increasing the trade and commerce of, the county.” Said section further provides, in part: “The proceeds of the tax may be expended for any or all of the following uses: (a) Advertising, exploiting, and making known the resources of the county, (b) Exhibiting or advertising the agricultural, horticultural, vitieultural, mineral, industrial, commercial, climatic, educational, recreational, artistic, musical, cultural, and other resources or advantages of the county.”
The fact that members of certain religious sects may derive more satisfaction from such a spectacle than do those of other denominations or those who adhere to no religion whatever does not spell a violation of the constitutional provisions concerning relations between Church and State. (Cal. Const., art. IV, § 30, and art. I, § 4; 1st and 14th Amends, to the U.S. Const.)
Collateral and incidental effects of such legislation do not constitute governmental departure from required neutrality in its relations and dealings with religious matters. This doctrine is exemplified by Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306, 313-314 [72 S.Ct. 679, 96 L.Ed. 954, 961-962], Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1, 8 [67 S.Ct. 504, 91 L.Ed. 711, 719-720, 168 A.L.R. 1392, 1400-1401], Lundberg v. County of Alameda, 46 Cal.2d 644, 654 [298 P.2d 1], Bowker v. Baker, 73 Cal.App.2d 653, 663 [167 P.2d 256], and State v. Williamson (Okla.) 347 P.2d 204.
In the Zorach case, which dealt with legislation providing *164for release from public schools of pupils desiring to attend religious exercises elsewhere, the court said, at page 313 [72 S.Ct. 679, 96 L.Ed. at p. 962] : “We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being. We guarantee the freedom to worship as one chooses. We make room for as wide a variety of beliefs and creeds as the spiritual needs of man deem necessary. We sponsor an attitude on the part of government that shows no partiality to any one group and that lets each flourish according to the zeal of its adherents and the appeal of its dogma. When the state encourages religious instruction or cooperates with religious authorities by adjusting the schedule of public events to sectarian needs, it follows the best of our traditions. Por it then respects the religious nature of our people and accommodates the public service to their spiritual needs. To hold that it may not would be to find in the Constitution a requirement that the government show a callous indifference to religious groups. That would be preferring those who believe in no religion over those who do believe. Government may not finance religious groups nor undertake religious instruction nor blend secular and sectarian education nor use secular institutions to force one or some religion on any person. But we find no constitutional requirement which makes it necessary for government to be hostile to religion and to throw its weight against efforts to widen the effective scope of religious influence. The government must be neutral when it comes to competition between sects. ’'
In State v. Williamson, supra, (Okla.) 347 P.2d 204, plaintiff sought an injunction against the use of certain trust moneys for construction of a memorial chapel upon grounds belonging to the state and occupied by Whitaker State Orphans Home. The court said, at page 205: “This memorial chapel when completed was to be owned by the State, to be maintained or managed by the State Board of Public Affairs and the Whitaker State Orphans Home, and to be used for and in connection with the Home for public assembly, and among other things, to provide a place for the voluntary worship of God by children of the Orphans Home, non-sectarian, non-denominational religious services might be conducted therein, but without requiring any child to attend any one of such services.” At page 207: “It is a well settled principle and philosophy of our Government that we should preserve separation of church and state, but that does not mean to compel or require separation from God. That would be directly contrary to cardinal precepts of the founding and *165preservation of our government, for it is well settled and understood that ours is a Christian Nation, holding the Almighty God in dutiful reverence. It is so noted in our Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution of every State of the Union. Since George Washington’s first presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving Day each such annual proclamation reiterates the principles that we are such a Christian Nation. Our State Senate and House of Representatives spend public funds maintaining on duty a Chaplain, though this expenditure is not made in aid of any sect or denomination. The same is true as to each branch of our National Congress. State paid Chaplains are employed at the State Penitentiary at McAlester, and the State Reformatory at Granite. In the early days of our National existence the Continental Congress allowed, and General George Washington ordered a Chaplain for each regiment of our troops, and that practice of use of chaplains has continued in all branches of our armed forces through the years. At West Point our National Government maintains a chapel and cadets are required to attend it. Our State maintains chapels at State Institutions such as the Griffin Memorial State Hospital at Norman, and the State Penitentiary at McAlester among others. A non-sectarian chapel was constructed at ‘Girls’ Town,’ a State Institution, from funds raised by a state bond issue. At public expenditure we engrave on our coins, ‘In God We Trust’ and print the same on currency. Our National Motto adopted by joint resolution of Congress is ‘In God We Trust.’ Our National Anthem closes with these words ‘In God is our Trust.’ Then why not maintain chaplains and, in appropriate places, chapels available for use in the worship of God by those who desire to do so ? ...
“When we consider the language used in our Declaration of Independence and in our National Constitution, and in our Constitution of Oklahoma, wherein those documents recognize the existence of God, and that we are a Christian Nation and a Christian State, and when we note the encouragement therein given to the principle that we should recognize our dependence on God, and should promote worship of God, it is too difficult to see any constitutional provision indicating the slightest intention to prohibit the maintenance of chapels as they are maintained throughout our land, or to prohibit the construction of a chapel for use of the children in the Whitaker State Orphans Home at Pryor, Oklahoma.”
I would reverse the judgment.