1. In God We Trust
Khira Layne Auerbach
Characters:
Lindsay- Class president, A+ student. Kind. Glows
Christian- Popular. Strong-willed. Sure.
Christine- The social-justice crusader
Allana- Believes she knows everything.
Pete- Desperate for the same admiration as Lindsay
Margaret- Rule-oriented.
Adam- Follower
Darren- Over it.
Suzette- Professor. Desperate to be liked.
Note: This script is fast-paced. Students can and should talk over one another. Tempers flare
and words fly.
Scene 1
In a college lecture hall. Small college. Students mill about, waiting for class to start.
Professor is not present.
Lindsay (over intercom)
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for
which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The students erupt.
Christian
What the hell?

2. Margaret
Can she do that?
Adam
Do you think she just messed up?
Margaret
No way. It’s Lindsay. She doesn’t mess up. You know she plans out her
announcements a week in advance.
Pete
Of course she does.
Christian
Who cares? She skipped “under God.”
Adam
She did it on purpose, then.
Christian
Of course she did it on purpose. Satanist bitch.
Christine
Don’t call her a bitch. You’re objectifying women.
Christian
So what?

3. Pete
So she’s probably just trying to get attention. Which is what you’re giving her. Best thing
to do would be to ignore her.
Christian
Ignore it? You want me to ignore an attack on Christianity?
Christine
Don’t assume it’s about you. She could also hate Muslims.
Christian
Don’t lump us with them.
Allana
Please. You know Muslims believe in God, right?
Christian
The wrong God.
Allana
It’s the same God, Christian.
Christian
No it’s not. Christians read the Bible, and the Bible says Christians believe in the one
true God.
Christine
Every religion believes they’re right. Just like every person believes in their own version
of reality.

4. Christian
Man, you’re all the same. (to Allana) You too. I bet you’re both like Lindsay. I bet you
don’t even believe in God.
Allana
Hey! I’m a Christian. I believe in God.
Christine
Me too!
Adam
Me too!
Darren
Does it matter? So she left out a couple of words. Who cares if she doesn’t believe in
God?
Allana
You’re just saying that because you’re into her Darren!
Darren
Oh shut up Allana!
Christine
(to Allana) Hey! That’s sexist Allana.
Allana
What the fuck, Christine?

5. Christine
Men don’t always want sex. I think it’s disgusting how society puts pressure on men to
always hide what they’re feeling. If Darren is in love with Lindsay, you shouldn’t just
assume he’s attracted to her on a physical level.
Darren
Woah! Who said anything about love?
Allana
So you do just want into her pants!
Chrisitan
Good choice man. I bet that Satanic bitch opens her legs for any old dick that comes
crawling along. Way to have standards.
The Professor Suzette enters to a suddenly silent, tension-filled room.
Suzette
Good morning class. (looking around) Why so serious? (chuckling at her own joke)
Awww c’mon. That was gold.
Margaret
Lindsay left out “under God” when she said the Pledge of Allegiance.
Christine
We were trying to figure out why.
Adam
We think she’s a Satanist.

6. Suzette
Wow! A Satanist. Who knew?
Christian
I always knew.
Allan
No you didn’t.
Christian
Yes I did. I could always tell something was off about her. She always… smelled.
Christine
Hey! Feminine odor is a natural…
Christian
Shut up Christine. No one cares!
Suzette
Now, now. If we’re going to have a discussion about this, everyone has to be allowed to
speak.
Darren
We’re going to have a discussion about this?
Suzette
Yes! It’s a very real-life issue that young people are facing today. We have to talk about
it.

7. Darren
What about Lindsay? This is her life. Do you think she wants to talk about it?
Christian
She doesn’t get a vote.
Suzette
Of course she will be allowed to defend herself. She can join in when she gets back
here.
Darren
I don’t think it’s right to talk about her personal choices without her here.
Pete
I, for one, would love to discuss this Suzette.
Allana
So would I. It’s against my First Amendment right to speak freely if we don’t talk about
this.
Suzette
Well that settles it. Who wants to start?
Allana
I will. I think this is a desperate cry for attention. I think it’s beneath her.

8. Pete
Did I or did I not say that already?
Allana
I’m saying it now.
Christian
We can’t just ignore this. She’s attacking everything we believe in.
Darren
No she’s not. She’s not attacking anything or anyone. She left out God. It’s not like she
inserted Satan!
Margaret
See Suzette? Even Darren thinks she’s a Satanist.
Suzette
Is that true Darren?
Darren
I don’t know.
Adam
(unexpectedly) I don’t think so.
Suzette
Let’s take a vote. Everyone who thinks she’s a Satanist move to the left side of the
room. Everyone who doesn’t, go to the right.

9. Christian, Allana, and Pete immediately get up and move to the left side of the room.
The others hesitate.
Suzette
C’mon class. If you want participation credit you need to contribute to the discussion.
Slowly, Margaret and Christine move to the left side of the classroom. Darren and Adam
still hesitate.
Suzette
Oh boys. Don’t be shy.
Margaret
Where do you stand, Suzette?
Suzette
I can’t say. That would be inappropriate.
Darren
Then why do we have to say?
Suzette
Because this is a class assignment, and as students you are expected to participate.
After a moment, Adam stands up and crosses to the left side of the room.
Suzette
Darren?

10. Darren slowly gets up and crosses to the left side of the room. After a tense silence,
Lindsay enters.
Lindsay
(entering, distracted) Sorry I’m late, I… (looking up and noticing the unusual
configuration of people) What’s going on?
Christian
We were taking a vote.
Lindsay
Oh ok. About what?
Suzette
(cutting off Christian, who seems to be about to start talking) Actually Lindsay, we were
discussing your little edit to the Pledge of Allegiance this morning.
Lindsay
(taken aback) What?
Chrisitan
You know, the one where you changed the entire fucking message by leaving out
“under God”?
Suzette
Lindsay? Do you have anything to say?
Lindsay looks around the room, then heads towards her chair.

11. Lindsay
No.
The students watch her as she makes her way to her seat, and slowly go to their own
seats once she has sat down. Christian makes a stop at Lindsay’s desk on his way.
Christian
(Leaning over Lindsay’s desk) What gives you the right to attack my religion?
Lindsay looks away. Christian walks to his desk.
Suzette
I think that’s a fair question, Lindsay.
Lindsay
I wasn’t aware I was attacking anyone’s religion.
Christian
Leaving out “under God” is a pretty clear dig at Christians, don’t you think?
Christine
And Muslims.
Allana
And Jews, and basically everyone else.
Pete
I bet you’re just doing this to be controversial.

12. Margaret
I don’t think you’re allowed to change the pledge of allegiance, are you Suzette?
Suzette
No, I don’t think you are.
Lindsay
I haven’t done anything wrong.
Christian
Why would we care? You clearly aren’t a Christian. What makes you a good person
then? Nothing. Not God, not Jesus, nothing. We don’t want you here.
Adam
Just because you’re a Satanist doesn’t mean you can push that on all of us.
Lindsay
(erupting) And just because you’re religious, doesn’t mean you can push that on me! It’s
so funny, because I can’t remember one time when I ever told you that you were less of
a person because of what you believe, and here you all are telling me that I’m not even
worth being in a class with you. (to Christian) That’s what makes me a good person, fyi,
the fact that I never let our differences stop me from being a good friend to any of you.
And by the way, I’m not a Satanist, I’m an atheist, but I don’t think it should matter even
if I was one. School is supposed to be a safe place for everyone.
Pete
You’re not making it a safe place for Christians right now.

13. Lindsay
I’m not attacking Christians! I’m not telling you that you’re wrong. I’m not saying you
shouldn’t believe what you do. All that I did was that I chose not to say something that I
felt uncomfortable with.
Allana
C’mon Lindsay. We know you. You just wanted to make a statement about something.
Get people to notice you.
Christine
You know Lindsay, when you fight every fight, your words don’t matter any more.
Lindsay
I don’t want to fight. I’m not the one fighting.
Darren
(unexpectedly) Then don’t. Don’t fight them. It’s not worth it.
Margaret
(misunderstanding Darren’s advice) Listen to Darren. Stop fighting it. You’re fighting
against something you know is right. That’s why you feel guilty.
Christian
(to Darren) “Them?” A few minutes ago, you were one of “them.”
Lindsay looks at Darren for confirmation, but Darren won’t meet her eye.
Allana
(noticing the look) Oh don’t look to him for help. He sided with us.

14. Lindsay
I didn’t realize there was an “us” and “them.”
Christian
Oh there isn’t an “us” and “them.” There’s an “us” and “you.”
Lindsay grabs her things and walks out the door.
Christian
Thank God.