Pledge

[zachman]

I'm vehemently against keeping it in the pledge, and I wish society could understand the constitution better. I think the whole pledge is a poor practice, and is too nationalistic. We argued about it in civics class and the whole class was fine about removing it, but that seems unlikely.

[Kghadial]

I'm an atheist. I'm against the words "under God" in our pledge. It was added because McCarthy and co. were raving lunatics claiming to see reds everywhere. They thought that no true Commy could say 'god' so they added it to the pledge thinking they could catch people that way.

As much as I support the original pledge, I really don't care.  I would prefer it gone, but if the right and center want it to stay let it stay. As long as they let us keep church and state seperate in other areas.

I personally just pause and let everyone else say 'under god' and then i continue with them.

In any case this is the sort of thing that will change in time. In a couple more generations the religious right spike of our time will cool down and the atheists will become a considerable part of the country, and maybe will get a dozen or so congessman and we can change it then when our voice is truly heard, but at this point I don't care.

In any case no one says the pledge after elementary school anyways, and there are few elementary atheists.

[minionofmidas]

I'm slightly revolted by the thought of having little kids recite some text they hardly understand as an exercise to instill patriotism, or religion or irreligion or socialism or whatever. The text of the thing is totally irrelevant.

[Platypus]

NO F-ING WAY.

I'm not anti-religious, but I am a STRONG supporter of the seperation of church and state.

[CTguy]

I bet if the Supreme Court rules against "Under God" that the right wing freaks propose a constitutional amendment putting that in out pledge since it's so ing important that they should be debating that and gay marriage rather than the 3 million jobs lost and the hundreds of billions of dollars being blown in Iraq.

[nclib]

I support removing "Under God' from the Pledge.

It is a clear violation of Separation of Church and State, and as earlier posters have indicated, wasn't even inserted until the anti-Communist Era.

As for the Pledge in general, I would not want ANY public schoolteacher (or employee) to lead the Pledge, though I'd let the school systems decide.

[??????????]

Typical, these liberals want to remove any loyality from our great nation by saying we shouldn't even say the pledge! They are already trying to destroy the reputation of fine men such as Jefferson and Washington. I don't know what road they are trying to take us down, but it's certainly the same road that Rome was taken down.

[Nym90]

When the pledge is read in a public school, or any other governmental building or at any government function, the words "Under God" should be left out. There should be a seperation of church and state and government should not actively support God, nor should it actively oppose it. If the pledge said "Under Allah" I would take the same position.

"Under God" was only added to the pledge in the 1950's as a response to Communism. It was fine the way it was before that.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

If the pledge said "Under Allah" I would take the same position.

Allah is the Muslim's name for God, NOT the Muslim word for 'God'.  Now if the Pledge had said "One nation under Jesus", then your comparison would fit.

But, as it is, you're comparing apples to oranges.

[Nym90]

Ok, I see your point.

My point was that in my opinion no one, in any government building or function, should be required to swear allegiance to monotheism. It doesn't have anything to do with discrimination against Christianity (not saying that you were saying that it was, but others have made this case).

[Emsworth]

My point was that in my opinion no one, in any government building or function, should be required to swear allegiance to monotheism.

Not just monotheism, but also to theism in general.

[© tweed]

How about replacing 'under god' with 'under Canada'?

[zachman]

I think we should replace under God with an honorable birthday of the day. My birthday would be "One nation, praying for Kobe Bryant, indivisible..." A person of the day could be an effective tool for education.

[TexasPatriot2024]

Jahovia's witnness' can't even say the pledge. Fun fact, but anyways i know both an atheist and a JW. The Atheist simply does not say undergod while the Jahovia wittness simply stands during the pledge to show respect but does not say it. This is just a handful of atheist making a big deal out of something because they want to be heard.

[opebo]

Typical, these liberals want to remove any loyality from our great nation by saying we shouldn't even say the pledge! They are already trying to destroy the reputation of fine men such as Jefferson and Washington. I don't know what road they are trying to take us down, but it's certainly the same road that Rome was taken down.

No, Rome was taken down the road to Christianity, once they gave up on the admirable lion-feeding project. 

[angus]

I have no problem with the pledge, but under god does NOT belong in it.

totally.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Here's the original pledge as written in the 1800s by a clergyman

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands- one nation indivisible-with liberty and justice for all."

What's the matter with that?

[John Dibble]

Here's the original pledge as written in the 1800s by a clergyman

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands- one nation indivisible-with liberty and justice for all."

What's the matter with that?

Absolutely nothing. The addition of 'of the United States of America' in there made sense though, just to specify which flag.

Still, I don't think 'Under God' should have been put there in the first place, though I don't have any strong feelings one way or another about removing it. If it were up to me, I would remove it, but it's no skin off my nose if it stays.

[J. J.]

Considering it's voluntary, I don't have a problem with it.  If you don't want to say "one nation under God indivisable," just say "one nation indivisable."

[Brandon H]

Definitely keep One Nation Under God. Why weren't these complaints brought up in 1954?

http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm

More specifically, it was originally written by a Christian Socialist.

The Pro-Life Movement is now adding "with liberty and justice for all, born and unborn".