Our country was founded under a set of very clear principles that were annunciated very well in our constitution. The 20th century was a great and sad time for our COMMON heritage and saw the theft of our history by religious interests. While this issue seems to have been forgotten by many, I offer the pledge of allegiance as an example of this terrible crime against posterity.
The Theft of Our American heritage
The pledge of allegiance as authored in August 1892:
"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
The pledge of Allegiance was authored in 1892 by Francis Bellamy and published in 1892 in the September 8th issue of The Youth's Companion. Bellamy was a Baptist minister and a Christian Socialist (yes, a socialist). His original pledge contained no mention AT ALL of god, it was, as it seemed to be, a pledge of allegiance to the symbol of our nation. There was no ambiguity built into the pledge, it was simple and to the point. Yet, apparently, it was not good enough for some as it was twice edited to read differently.
The first change which was made despite the protest of its author was made in 1924 during the National Flag Conference, under the leadership of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution. The words "my flag" were edited to read "the flag". This change seemed to remove the personal identification of the individual with the flag he had chosen to be his own. In my opinion this makes the pledge seem like less of an elective than it does one's only choice. What good does it do to pledge allegiance to the only game in town?
The second change was made by congress in 1952 after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus. This change ADDED the words "under god" to the pledge. The fact that this change was made by congress seems to me to be in violation of the 1st amendment which clearly states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech...”. This act is both making a decision to place religious terminology into the public AND encroaching on the free speech of the author by editing his work. Be that as it may, the change obviously stuck and today we, regardless of our religious affiliation, are left with a pledge, a PLEDGE, a VOW, a CONTRACT that requires that we place our nation under the offices of an authority which we may not wish to follow or believe in. Those of us who refuse to say the pledge are looked upon as being unpatriotic. Those of us who do not believe in god but who say the pledge anyway are guilty of either A) being dishonest or B) speaking an empty, meaningless vow.
Religion has no place in our government or in affiliation with our republic. This does not deny the right of a religious person to belong to this nation nor does it refute the quality of their patriotism. Yet, some religious activists have done precisely that to those of us who are not of their faith. They have taken a piece of our common heritage and made it uniquely their own.
I do not deny nor wish to inhibit the right of any American to practice the tenants of ANY religion or maintain any faith of their choosing but I am angry that there are some Americans who have seen fit to hijack OUR country and replace the glory of its history to meet their own needs and to fit properly with their own agendas and beliefs. I would like to see the pledge stand as it was authored. I would like to see the work of a great American who found it within his heart to create a simple vow between himself and his nation, respected and maintained as an important contribution to our American heritage.
I encourage everyone to read the history of the pledge of Allegiance and learn just a little bit about its author Francis Bellamy; a man, who in the wake of the civil war, saw fit to create something that would be a lasting tribute to the unity of our nation, a unity that thousands had very recently fought over; a unity that was paid for in blood.