Pledge of Allegiance: A Socialist Idea?
By Anthony | November 15th, 2006 | 12:11 amAddressing a recent action alert by the Thomas More Law Center, Ed Brayton at Dispatches From the Culture Wars had this to say:
Who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance? A man named Francis Bellamy. Who was Bellamy? Well, he was a Baptist minister. And a socialist. And his original pledge, the one used in schools after 1892, did not include the phrase “under God” at all (that part was added in 1954). And Bellamy wrote that his purpose in writing the pledge was to teach children the importance of obedience to the state, a socialist ideal if ever there was one. The pledge written by a socialist to inculcate socialist values is now being promoted by conservatives who are outraged that a socialist would object to saying it. Yet another irony meter down the drain.
I was unaware of that – the socialist part, that is, not the “under God” part.
November 15th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
I am sorry you feel that way. I feel great everytime I have the opportunity to say the pledge. Here is is—
I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
I will fight for this country, flag and God any day of the week if need be.
The origin matters little…my memory as a child and what it represents means all.
November 15th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Sorry that I feel what way? I never mentioned my feelings on the pledge, I just noted a fact about its origin. It’s ironic that some of the same people who rail against the boogyman of socialism are so gung-ho about something created by a socialist, but I personally don’t have any particular problem with the pledge.
November 15th, 2006 at 11:48 pm
My mistake. I did not understand. Thanks for helping.
November 16th, 2006 at 11:27 am
I did a full page in the N&R about this for the last July 4th. We had the Bellamy thing, the history of the pledge with time-line, all the different versions and pictures (including one of children given the original accepted salute to the flag – straight armed with palm down, identical to the Nazi salute. That changed in the forties).
November 16th, 2006 at 5:17 pm
wierd to me….growing up in the early 60’s…I have only very positive memories.
November 16th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Growing up in the 40’s (born Aug.5 1941 two days before Pearl Harbor)I have only very positive memories also. As a student and later as a teacher I felt this was the proper and only way to begin my day of labor and was very upset when it was taken out of the schools because of the phrase “under God”. Strange no one makes any noise about getting rid of our money which mentions God.
November 16th, 2006 at 8:27 pm
Joe:
I think I vaguely remember that now that you mention it. Was the salute photo the one on this page? I was thinking it looked familiar when I saw it the other day, so your piece may have been where I saw it before.
Meb and Brenda,
I grew up in the 70s and 80s and generally have positive memories of the pledge. I never had a problem with saying it. The first time I even gave it a second thought was in 8th grade when one of my teachers said he thought it was silly to pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth. My Dad was pretty upset when I told him that later on at home.
As for our money – there are indeed some people who would like to see “In God We Trust” removed from it, but I don’t think there are very many who feel that way. It’s a pretty non-sectarian phrase.
November 19th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
I have very positive feelings, for the most part, about saying the pledge. I feel tremendous pride in being a part of this great country. However, as an atheist, I must say that I do resent having to include “under God”. Am I not a full citizen of the United States of America if I do not believe in God? That’s what it feels like to me when I read that part of the pledge. It creates a certain distance between myself and my fellow citizens which seems very “unAmerican” to me.