Breaking News: 'God Bless America' Reinstated on City Bus Message Boards

  KFDM News has learned Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames, the entire City Council and Beaumont City Manager Kyle Hayes have ordered the phrase 'God Bless America' reinstated on the message boards scrolling across Beaumont City buses, after the Public Works Director had them removed and triggered a wave of angry responses.

   Beaumont City Transit Director Bill Munson told KFDM News that Hayes called him and ordered the phrase reinstated at about 11:40 a.m. Friday.

  Beaumont Public Works Director Tom Warner had the phrase removed Tuesday after he said one e-mail complaint raised questions about the phrase and whether it violated the separation of church and state.

  Mayor Ames told KFDM News the public should know neither she, Council or the City Manager had anything to do with the decision to remove 'God Bless America' from the bus message signs.

 Beaumont City Attorney Tyrone Cooper told KFDM News he was not consulted about the original decision, and Cooper said he didn't believe the phrase on city buses violated the Constitution because it didn't advocate the establishment of any single religion.

  KFDM News reported the story Thursday, and the decision triggered what Cooper called a "flood of phone calls" to City Hall, as well as dozens of e-mails and comments on kfdm.com and our message board.

  Bus riders also were upset about the decision.

  Friday on Live at 5 and KFDM News at 6, reporter Jennifer Heathcock will have more on the reinstatement of the phrase 'God Bless America' on city buses.

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Jennifer Heathcock's Story:

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God is back on the electronic signs on Beaumont city buses one day after our story about a decision to remove "God Bless America" prompted dozens of angry telephone calls to Beaumont city hall, and dozens of e-mails to KFDM News.

The Public Works Director ordered the removal Tuesday, after he received one e-mail from someone questioning whether the message on a city bus violated the Constitution.

The Mayor, the entire Council and the City Manager ordered "God Bless America" back on the buses.

A bus driver for Beaumont Municipal Transit shows us how re-programming the electronic signs to read "God Bless America" requires pushing only a few buttons.

"God Bless America" is one of more than thirty messages that can be displayed on the scrolling signs.

It's unlikely the removal of any other message would have caused the same outrage.

"This is America, God Bless America," says Rollan Davis.

Even after the phrase was reinstated, Rollan Davis and other passengers were still fuming about its removal.

"I do think it's appropriate, and I do think if we can put 'In God We Trust' on our dollars bills, we can put 'God Bless America' on our buses," says City of Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames.

When Mayor Becky Ames found out about the removal and the angry response, she polled Council Members and called City Manager Kyle Hayes. They all decided "God Bless America" should go back on the message board.

Public Works Director, Tom Warner ordered its removal Tuesday after receiving an e-mail complaint, raising questions about whether the message violated the separation of church and state.

Mayor Ames says hundreds of emails and phone calls poured into City Hall, and she wants citizens to know, the City is listening.

"We have soldiers serving America, that I think, everyone salutes and is proud of and we want to make sure they know that," says Mayor Ames.

And these passengers are just as passionate.

"If he or she doesn't like it, get back to where you came from. That's what I'm saying," says Davis.

We were not able to reach the Public Works Director for comment on today's decision.