Indivisible Day in U.S. 2023: Date, History, Facts about Religion and State

For many Americans, July 4 is a day to celebrate the nation’s independence, but for many others, it is also Indivisible Day. The day encourages awareness and promotion of the separation of church and state. Jesse Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota, believed that the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution of the United States in educational institutions, namely schools. After his incendiary interview with “Playboy” in which he was quoted as saying, “religion is a sham and crutch for weak-minded people,” Ventura’s statements were not taken lightly. Despite the fact that many disagreed with Ventura’s position, many others praised it, stating that he was merely referring to national unity.

The background of Indivisible Day

Governor of Minnesota at the time, Jesse Ventura, commemorated the first Indivisible Day in 2002. James George Janos was born as Ventura in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1951. From 1969 to 1975, he served in the United States Navy. This time period coincided with the Vietnam War, but Ventura did not engage in combat. In subsequent years, Ventura became involved in professional wrestling. The surname for his theatrical name, Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura, was taken from a map. He desired to portray himself as a ‘bully-ish’ seashore bodybuilder. After winning a number of wrestling matches and accolades, he retired and began commentating and acting in films such as “Predator,” “Zorro,” and “Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe.”

In 1998, he entered politics and ran as a Reform Party candidate for the state of Minnesota. His election victory was the only significant victory for his political party. He is notorious for his many controversial statements, one of which concerns Indivisible Day. After being approached by the Atheists of Minnesota for Human Rights, he voiced his opposition to the use of ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance in school contexts. Ventura maintained that patriotism should originate from the heart, not from the law, despite widespread opposition to his statements. Moreover, he stated that he was not attempting to divide the nation, but rather to unite it without the ‘crutches’ of religion. This debate raised two important questions: 1) Should students be permitted to be excused from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance? and 2) Is the phrase “under God” divisive of the United States, given that there are multiple religions?

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5 facts about religion and state that will astound you

There is no mention of God in the United States Constitution, but each state has its own references to God or divinity.

Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson were among the few U.S. presidents who had no religious affiliations.

Approximately half of Americans believe that presidents should have strong religious convictions.

28% of Americans believe the Bible should influence the creation and implementation of American laws.

Congress has always been dominated by Christians, with nine out of ten members identifying as Christians.

INDIVISIBLE DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	July 4	Tuesday
2024	July 4	Thursday
2025	July 4	Friday
2026	July 4	Saturday
2027	July 4	Sunday