In God We Trust
This Campaign started in 2022.
[UPDATE]
As religious freedom and expression are hotly debated in Texas, state lawmakers are proposing a new, likely-to-be-constitutionally-challenged law mandating the display of the 10 Commandments in classrooms across the state. Cue artist and activist Chaz Stevens, who is once again testing the status quo through another massive donation of 2,500 of his custom-made posters.
This time, his signs are heading back to Texas -- where last year, 1,100 similar signs were carefully crafted in various languages, such as:
My name is Chaz Stevens, CEO of ESADoggy.
Texas SB-797 requires public schools to display donated signs containing the phrase “In God We Trust” and “may not depict any words, images, or other information other than [that].”
The law seemingly presumes these signs are written in English.
Oopsie.
And here’s where our decades of activism come into play – we call it “Chaz’s Rule #143." The beauty of Rule #143 lies in its simplicity — flip bureaucracy 180 degrees and use its weight against itself! Don’t fight the man; let the man fight himself.
Using the rule, we’ve been very successful over the past 20 years, forcing local, county, and state governments to rethink their positions. From our Pabst Blue Ribbon and Gay Pride Festivus Poles, to a current Florida state-wide effort to ban the bible in all 63 school districts, to abolishing prayer before government meetings, we’re the tip of the spear.
Simply said, there's not an organization on the planet like the Church of Mars, and we will not be silent while evangelical Christians stomp our collective rights.
To voice our dissent with Texas SB-797, we're going to design, print, deliver, and donate 500+ "various" languages (Arabic, Hindi, English Gay Pride, Spanish, Vulcan, Klingon, and others) "In God We Trust" 16x20 posters to schools in Texas, flooding the public school system with our IGWT artwork.
We're in the beginning stages of sending hundreds of signs and need your financial support. Democracy is under attack, and the first step towards restoring it is simple - we need you.
Your donation will directly support our efforts to develop, print, ship, and deliver 500 posters across the state. The cost to have a single 16x20 poster printed, delivered to our Florida HQ, prepped by our elves, and then sent to a Texas public school is roughly $23 per copy.
Please share far and wide on social media.
Update: University of North Texas Political Science Professor Kimi Lynn King, who specializes in American Politics, tells CNN that on its face, Senate Bill 797 does not specify language “despite the fact that it is particularized (and narrow) relating to how the signs are to be configured.”
“One could argue the plain meaning of the legislation by spelling it out in English, represents an intent to have it be government sponsored speech with a specific message they want to convey,” King said. “On the other hand, it could be argued that the law is vague in that it does not identify that it could NOT be written in other languages.”
King believes this “makes it a perfect storm ripe for Supreme Court review.”
As CEO of ESADoggy, Stevens notes, "Business should be a powerful lever of change, driving progressive social justice by advancing the strategies and tools that deal with issues such as protecting democracy, LGBTQ+ matters, and racial inequality. Nonviolent methods of conflict resolution have been shown time and again as the most efficient way to achieve peace and justice. Like Ben & Jerry's, we mix corporate duty with social responsibility."
Note: Contributions, donations, gifts, and dues are not tax deductible. They support our effective, citizen-based advocacy efforts of Chaz Stevens and his colleagues.
