One nation under WHOSE God?

[Bret Walker]

The Pledge of Allegiance was written by a boy scout.

Not a lot of people know that. And the original words were "One nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all." Nothing about God whatsoever.

In 1954, Congress passed a bill inserting the words "Under God" into the pledge. The US is supposed to be the archetypical government representing the separation of Church and State. By inserting the phrase "Under God" we end up excluding a bunch of people. Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists and Agnostics, all excluded by those two words, Under God.

Think for a minute what the Pledge of Allegiance would be like if the words "One white nation under God" were used. Saying "Under God" is the same thing. It's exclusionary, and yet some people say that it's unpatriotic not to say the pledge. Others go one step further (many Senators and Congressmen, by the way) and say that taking the words "Under God" out of the pledge is unpatriotic.

Excuse me, but when did believing in God become patriotic? This country was founded on the basic principal of freedom of religion. It's stated clearly in the 1st Amendment. For those of you who can't recite the 1st Amendment, here it is for you:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Now I know that inserting the words "Under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance is not the same as establishment of religion, but it is stating that our nation is protected by God. Not "a" god, but God almighty. Not Hindu gods, not Buddha, not Allah, and not NO GOD, but God. Specifically God. And since Congress passed the law inserting "Under God" into a 12 year-old boy's pledge to his country, they broke the first ammendment of a Constitution that they each individually swore to uphold.

Therefore, removing the words "Under God" is not just patriotic, it is the sworn duty of these elected officials who should right the wrong of 1954's bill. The 1954 Congress violated the first ammendment, and now it must be fixed.

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.

Thank you.

[jelly belly girl]

i agree that the god part should be taken out... but, thanks to the people on NBC 10 i found out that it was a baptist minister who wrote the pledge. www.vineyard.net/vineyard/history/pledge.htm i'd say it's even more poignant that a minister wrote it and left out god....

does that prove to you that american people know more about constitutional rights than congress?

but then again, i think we all knew that.

[Bret Walker]

I always thought it was a Boy Scout who wrote the pledge. Thanks for setting me straight. No offense to gay boy scouts or gay boy scout masters...

[Mr.Leo]

they suspend you if you refuse to say the pledge at school now, at least they do at North High, 3 weeks before school was over I was sent to the office and suspended for 2 days for not standing and sayin the pledge and telling everyone that it was bullshit, because we NEVER said it before 9-11 and now we have to act like good Americans and say it daily? Im so glad school is over now, at least until next year when i get to repeat my grade, apperantly I am lazy and stupid and didnt pass

[jelly belly girl]

*to be said with thick sarcasm*

isn't it just wonderful how the country is suddenly so patriotic since we were attacked?

*/end sarcasm*

seriously, it disgusts me seeing people drive down the street with flags on their cars. want to talk about unpatriotic? look at what it's doing to the american flag. 99% of the ones you see on cars are all nasty and fucked up. is that patriotic?

sorry you got suspended. that's pretty fucked.

[Mr.Leo]

actually it was pretty cool, cu zi hadnt seen blues clues in like 5 days!!! but for real, everyone stopped saying the pledge after that, so the peer helpers (AHHH damn gay kids!) talked to the adminastrators and got them to change the rule, now we only have to say it everyy monday or something, but still, i dont see why we have to say it all because we never did before. i hate flase pride and unity, but the cookies they made with the red white and blue sure do taste good

[Bret Walker]

Isn't it wonderful how in this country of individuality, they force the youth to chant their daily mantra before filling their heads with the information we want to program them with? Well that's what we get for living in the Soviet Union. I mean the United States. I keep getting those two mixed up. It's the letters, you know.

[AbusedFetus]

My school didn't even pledge, it was kinda funny because someone would be saying the Pledge over the intercom but everyone would just keep doing what they were doing. Its a bunch of crap in my opinion.

[Bret Walker]

It was required that we stand and say the pledge when I was in school, back in the Cold War days. But I had other fish to fry at the time. Read about it in the Bringing Down forum.

[Lost]

after boy scouts said faggits couldnt be in boyscouts they started a CoEd progrma called venture...which i joyed for the fuck of it ( camping in the forest with chicks... not seeing a problem ... plusshe was there...so it was all cool with me) and they used to say the pledge and their little gay oath .... i refused to say either for 2 years..... which was cool with the leader since she was mostly aginst it too ..... but at school i told a teacher to leave me alone becuz i wasnt standing of saying his pledge becuz i DONT pledge my allegence to a peice of clothe and they dont mention MY religoin in there.... i got suspended for 3 days.... i still dont stand bt now they leave me alone

[Bret Walker]

I love you. Here's my anus.

[Lost]

that over used rag ? bah...ill used my cut up hands... OW IT BURNS!!! .... ok get back here

[Kyle]

I've been having to listen to Canada's national anthem every school day for the last 12 years, stop your complaining ;D.
God only appears once in the Anthem(God keep our land glorious and free), but you have to remember, religion was a big part of peoples lives when such things were written.
I haven't heard anyone complaining about it, but it's not like we are pledging alliegance to a flag.