Daily Breeze Reports on "In God We Trust"

Here's another report to review from the Daily Breeze, this time about the passage of "In God We Trust" to be posted on the main dais of the city council chambers.

Torrance’s Council Chambers will soon have “In God We Trust” emblazoned above the dais.

This is wonderful. I wanted to see this happen, as did other people in the city of Torrance.

The City Council last week narrowly decided to put the motto in its chambers, despite no members of the public being present during the vote and one opposing councilman arguing the decision was made without transparency. The vote was 4 to 3.

The words will go on the wood paneling above the dais.

“The intention was to unite, though some may disagree,” said George Chen, who first suggested the idea and said he wanted the council to trust a higher power, even if it’s not God. “We’re here to serve the community, not to make a name for ourselves.”

It is a unifying motto, to reflect the national character. A couple of people in the city who oppose it, they are a bunch of vapid atheists, nothing more. Their offended feelings should not dictate what the rest of us want.

But Councilman Tim Goodrich railed against the idea, saying the council moved too fast on the item and didn’t receive enough public input.

Nonsense. Timmy was just throwing a sop to his fellow regressive, leftist supports, many of whom belong to Black Lives (Don't) Matter.

“I’m absolutely appalled at what my colleagues are doing up here,” he said. “Ramming it down our throats — your colleagues’ throats — and the public’s throats.”

It was not rammed down anyone's throats. An agenda item was returned to the city council three months ago.

Chen first brought up the motto during the panel’s March 19 meeting, after he and his colleagues received an email from a nonprofit called In God We Trust America, which works to get the logo put in local government buildings across the country.

During the meeting, several residents spoke against installing the motto in chambers – and only one supported the move.

There were other comments from the public, submitted in writing. What a crock.

Still, the council voted – also 4 to 3 – to have staff draw up designs.

Good for them. Here are some of the designs submitted to the city council:

Staffers came back on Tuesday, May 14, with several suggestions. Ultimately, the council went with their colleague Mike Griffiths’ suggestion to emblazon it on the wood paneling.

This wood paneling is situated above the city council dais. It's a perfect place to place the National Motto.

Griffiths said he was inspired during a trip to Washington D.C., when he saw “In God We Trust” above the podium on which the speaker of the House of Representatives sits.

“It made me feel really strong. It made me feel really patriotic,” Griffiths told the Daily Breeze. “And if it’s good enough for the house chamber in D.C., then it’s good enough for Torrance.”

Amen to that!

But the public wasn’t in the council chambers when the vote happened.

The room had been cleared earlier in the evening, following disruptions from protesters. The meeting was televised, but only city staffers and media were allowed in the chambers.

How telling! The Daily Breeze did not bother to mention that it was Black Lives (Don't) Matter which shut down the city council meeting on May 14th, 2019.

It was Milton Herring, the black city councilman, who called out BL(D)M for insisting on shutting down the meeting and preventing the city from conducting its business. 

Mayor Patrick Furey – who along with Goodrich and Councilman Geoff Rizzo – voted against the item, urged his colleagues to push the decision to the next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 21.

I am really glad that the council majority refused to be bullied by the BL(D)M protesters. This a double victory for me as a Torrance resident and as an American.

Chen, Griffiths, and Councilmen Milton Herring and Aurelio Mattucci voted for it.

I am proud to relate that I voted for each of these men! So proud of my city of Torrance!