Outcry over Scout's flag returns God to certificate

The teen had asked that the certificate read: "This flag was flown in honor of Marcel Larochelle, my grandfather, for his dedication and love of God, country and family."

But Ayers excised "God" from the inscription, saying it violated a policy, set in 2003, banning religious and political expressions on the certificates.

Lawmakers, led by Republicans, have since demanded the policy be changed. Turner said he was asking the architect's office to reissue the certificate for Andrew with the original wording.

Representative Dan Burton of Indiana said in a floor speech that Ayers should be removed from office. "I can't imagine anybody wanting to take God out of a certificate for a Boy Scout or an Explorer Scout or anybody else in scouting because they wanted to honor their grandfather."

The practice, House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio wrote in a letter Wednesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, "has rightly drawn outrage from the American people, who have grown weary of endless attempts by politicians and bureaucrats to bar the word God and even the most tacit references to faith from our public institutions."

The flag dispute led off questioning yesterday at the weekly news conference held by Pelosi, a California Democrat. "I don't think the architect's office should be in the role of censoring what members want to say," she said.

Ayers, in a memo to members yesterday, said personalized dedications are permitted, with the only restriction being a limit of 300 characters. The messages are added to the certificate stating when the flag was flown at the Capitol.