Congress Buries History

The U.S. Capitol unveiled what one congressman has called a “$600 million godless pit,” a palatial underground visitors’ center which is at the heart of an ongoing debate over the place of America’s religious heritage in the nation’s capital. Not only does the basement of the House and Senate’s home have new galleries, theaters, and gift shops, but, as 108 congressmen rightly argue, it should also include an honest and complete portrayal of America’s religious roots.

Initially, planners had scrubbed references to “In God We Trust,” the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Founders’ faith. The Architect of the Capitol, who is responsible for the renovations, came under fire from the building’s own residents, the U.S. Congress, for omitting such basic references to the Almighty. Although some of the concerns were addressed before the center opened this afternoon, dozens of leaders and organizations like FRC are still troubled by the politically correct nature of the exhibits, which are historically incorrect.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) have been the most vocal opponents of this spiritual “whitewashing” of America’s most recognizable symbol. A last-minute plaster job tries, poorly, to hide the inaccurate reference to “E Pluribus Unum” as our national motto (“In God We Trust” was established by Congress as the national motto in 1956). Even the U.S. Constitution is said to be grossly misrepresented in the exhibit. As the Heritage Foundation’s Matt Spalding writes, the excerpts on display are a “temple to liberals’ ‘living Constitution.'”

We join the chorus of citizens, who, as patrons of this Visitors Center, demand fidelity to the Founders and a more accurate portrayal of the important role of faith in American life. To help sound the alarm, contact your congressmen and ask them to restore Christianity to its place of prominence in the U.S. Capitol.

Tony Perkins heads the Family Research Council. This article is excerpted from the Washington Update that he compiles for the FRC.