Politics & Government

Atheist Raises Funds, Which American Legion Yanked, For Morton Grove Parks

An atheist publisher has topped his goal of raising $2,600 to give to Morton Grove Parks after the American Legion yanked its funding because one board member does not stand during the Pledge of Allegiance.


The publisher of an atheist website has raised $3,282 for the Morton Grove Park District as of Wednesday afternoon. 

That topped the goal Hemant Mehta, publisher of friendlyatheist.com, had of replacing $2,600 which Morton Grove American Legion Post 134 Commander Joseph Lampert withdrew, according to the Morton Grove Champion. 

The American Legion withdrew the funds because Dan Ashta, a park district commissioner elected in April, declines to stand while the Pledge of Allegiance is recited at park district board meetings. 

Ashta, an attorney who specializes in Constitutional law, said he is upholding the Constitution's First Amendment right by not standing, according to TribLocal. While the Legion asked him to simply stand out of respect, even if he does not recite the pledge, Ashta countered that standing is a form of speech in and of itself, and the right not to stand is protected under the First Amendment.

Mehta told chicago.cbslocal.com that he does not know if Ashta is an atheist, but he supports what Ashta is doing.

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