Pledge of Allegiance Revisited
!!!MY 150TH BLOG!!!
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When Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy wrote The Pledge of Allegiance he probably never would have guessed that it would become such a heated issue post Y2K. The Pledge of Allegiance, recalls for many, the heated debates of constitutionality just a few years ago over the presence of a three-letter word that was added to the original Pledge in 1954. Though this debate is interesting to me I am not bringing up the Pledge of Allegiance simply to spark old contraversies. Instead of only discussing the merits or drawbacks concerning the 1892 or 1954 versions, I would like to share with you the addition an elementary school has made to the Pledge to make it more personal for their students and hear what you think about it.
This school begins their Pledge just as most of us know it choosing to include the word "God." Following "And Justice For All," which is usually the ending begins the following.
I am a peacemaker,
I treat myself and others with respect,
I listen,
I share,
I care for the Earth, air, water, plants, and animals,
I am important to this very big world,
I know peace begins with me.
I found this very interesting the first time I heard it and many of the kids were happy to recite it today during their lunch as I carefully wrote it down in hopes of sharing it with you.
Because these children, and American children nation-wide, are pledging their "allegiance to the flag" I think it is important to discuss exactly what allegiance is.
According to Dictionary.com:
Allegiance: - The tie or obligation, implied or expressed, which a subject owes to his sovereign or government; the duty of fidelity to one's king, government, or state.
Usage: Allegiance, Loyalty. These words agree in expressing the general idea of fidelity and attachment to the ``powers that be.'' Allegiance is an obligation to a ruling power. Loyalty is a feeling or sentiment towards such power. Allegiance may exist under any form of government, and, in a republic, we generally speak of allegiance to the government, to the state, etc. In well conducted monarchies, loyalty is a warm-hearted feeling of fidelity and obedience to the sovereign. It is personal in its nature; and hence we speak of the loyalty of a wife to her husband, not of her allegiance. In cases where we personify, loyalty is more commonly the word used; as, loyalty to the constitution; loyalty to the cause of virtue; loyalty to truth and religion, etc.
It is interesting to me that so many have expressed their offense at the use of the word "God" but few seem bothered that their children are pledging their "allegiance" to their government. Does "allegiance" suggest that one shouldn't raise their voice in protest of their government where they feel it has wronged them or others?
For this elementary school they have chosen to place personal responsibility on achieving a peaceful world on their students' shoulders. Whether this has any impact on how they view the world is difficult to say. Violence, within the school specifically, is minimal or what one might expect from a fairly priviledged suburb. So achieving a peaceful world within the school is not something they intended to accomplish with their version of the Pledge since it has largely already been acheived. What I believe is important to their addition is:
A) that they've chosen to make it more personal for their students
that it uses clear simple language that children can understand
C) it expresses personal responsibility and empowerment that I feel is often overlooked in our culture
When I did a google search for "Pledge of Allegiance" it returned 369,000 hits, many of which, I'm sure, reflected a great deal of whining on either side of the "God' debate. If you find yourself on either polarized side of the spectrum I recommend the following sites I came across.
http://www.keepthepledge.com/
A site run by those who apparently are "defending the pledge of allegiance and american freedom." Here you can listen to John Wayne recite the pledge if hearing those words from the Duke's mouth is what you're jonesin' for.
http://www.restorethepledge.com/
A site run by those who would like to restore the pledge to the original version that Congress approved in 1942. "Yes, the majority of Americans believe in God, and they nearly unanimously find no objection in the Pledge's current rendition. But that is precisely why we have a Bill of Rights - to prevent tyranny by the majority, and to protect the rights of minorities. Our Constitution forbids government from endorsing religious views, and those who choose not to believe in a deity should never be made to feel like "outsiders," as is now the case."
History of the Pledge Available here: Link
This school begins their Pledge just as most of us know it choosing to include the word "God." Following "And Justice For All," which is usually the ending begins the following.
I am a peacemaker,
I treat myself and others with respect,
I listen,
I share,
I care for the Earth, air, water, plants, and animals,
I am important to this very big world,
I know peace begins with me.
I found this very interesting the first time I heard it and many of the kids were happy to recite it today during their lunch as I carefully wrote it down in hopes of sharing it with you.
Because these children, and American children nation-wide, are pledging their "allegiance to the flag" I think it is important to discuss exactly what allegiance is.
According to Dictionary.com:
Allegiance: - The tie or obligation, implied or expressed, which a subject owes to his sovereign or government; the duty of fidelity to one's king, government, or state.
Usage: Allegiance, Loyalty. These words agree in expressing the general idea of fidelity and attachment to the ``powers that be.'' Allegiance is an obligation to a ruling power. Loyalty is a feeling or sentiment towards such power. Allegiance may exist under any form of government, and, in a republic, we generally speak of allegiance to the government, to the state, etc. In well conducted monarchies, loyalty is a warm-hearted feeling of fidelity and obedience to the sovereign. It is personal in its nature; and hence we speak of the loyalty of a wife to her husband, not of her allegiance. In cases where we personify, loyalty is more commonly the word used; as, loyalty to the constitution; loyalty to the cause of virtue; loyalty to truth and religion, etc.
It is interesting to me that so many have expressed their offense at the use of the word "God" but few seem bothered that their children are pledging their "allegiance" to their government. Does "allegiance" suggest that one shouldn't raise their voice in protest of their government where they feel it has wronged them or others?
For this elementary school they have chosen to place personal responsibility on achieving a peaceful world on their students' shoulders. Whether this has any impact on how they view the world is difficult to say. Violence, within the school specifically, is minimal or what one might expect from a fairly priviledged suburb. So achieving a peaceful world within the school is not something they intended to accomplish with their version of the Pledge since it has largely already been acheived. What I believe is important to their addition is:
A) that they've chosen to make it more personal for their students
that it uses clear simple language that children can understandC) it expresses personal responsibility and empowerment that I feel is often overlooked in our culture
When I did a google search for "Pledge of Allegiance" it returned 369,000 hits, many of which, I'm sure, reflected a great deal of whining on either side of the "God' debate. If you find yourself on either polarized side of the spectrum I recommend the following sites I came across.
http://www.keepthepledge.com/
A site run by those who apparently are "defending the pledge of allegiance and american freedom." Here you can listen to John Wayne recite the pledge if hearing those words from the Duke's mouth is what you're jonesin' for.
http://www.restorethepledge.com/
A site run by those who would like to restore the pledge to the original version that Congress approved in 1942. "Yes, the majority of Americans believe in God, and they nearly unanimously find no objection in the Pledge's current rendition. But that is precisely why we have a Bill of Rights - to prevent tyranny by the majority, and to protect the rights of minorities. Our Constitution forbids government from endorsing religious views, and those who choose not to believe in a deity should never be made to feel like "outsiders," as is now the case."
History of the Pledge Available here: Link
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