The Pledge of Allegiance Debate: A Simple Solution
Once the bell rang, it was routine for me as a child to hear the obnoxious sound of the intercom and a voice asking the entire school to please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Looking at the stars and stripes in the corner of the classroom and laying a hand on my chest, I did as I was told. One day I even became that voice following the intercom's power-up, reciting the pledge for all of my peers to hear. Today, less schools are requiring our children to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
So, should we or should we not say the pledge? We've been looking at left and right wing politics for an answer. We've looked at our education system. We've looked at American history. What are we missing?
The Truth.
The wording of the Pledge of Allegiance has changed over the years. It's original draft, written in 1892, did not even include the name of our country. The second draft, written in 1923, was more specific as to which republic and flag we were speaking of. It wasn't until 1954 that President Eisenhower included the word "God." As many of you know, we were indeed 'one nation, under God" many years before that. Check your dollars bills if you don't believe me. So, why wait to bring God into it so late?
As a country equipped with open arms, it is easy to see why the word 'God' has become a huge issue for those who believe our children should not say the pledge in school. Just like our pledge, we too have evolved. Our nation no longer believes in one god.
The "Be Patriotic" Cry
If reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is really about our loyalty to our country, why have we left it worded in such an inaccurate way? Many people argue that we were founded upon God, which is why it should be left in the pledge; however, no revision to the pledge ever indicated that we are "one nation, founded under God." Our Pledge of Allegiance indicates that we are one nation, under one god. The real patriotic truth is, we should be equally loyal to what our country has become, not just what it was.
A Simple Solution...
Lowercase the 'G' and add a "S."
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under gods, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.