Pledge of Allegiance Poll

[demzilla]

There has been much discussion on DU about the latest court ruling, and whether it is a good thing, or a good thing that the right wing will use as a wedge issue. (And since our party is a big tent, perhaps even a few people simply disagree with the ruling.)

So here's the question: What are your views about the phrase "under God" in the Pledge? (Whether or not you like the idea of the Pledge is not the issue -- the "under God" part is the issue.)

[JimmyJazz]

1. I believe the pledge should be abolished in full. It goes against

my religious beliefs.

[kick-ass-bob]

18. Why should anyone pledge allegiance to a flag?

I agree.

[Guaranteed]

2. It's obviously unconstitutional, but, for now, we have to ignore

it.

There's too much already going on. Too much of a wedge issue, too much of a distraction.

Just forget it until we get back at LEAST Congress.

[bonito]

3. I pledge allegiance only to God.

[Patiod]

21. That's our church's official stand

When our state was contemplating a law requiring a flag in every classroom and mandatory daily pledge, our Meeting wrote on behalf of our Meeting's school, and said we would under no circumstances comply.

Fortunately there were enough other Quaker, Mennonite and Amish schools that they gave up and forced it only on public schoolers.

[Modem Butterfly]

4. I take issue with the last option

Even people who believe in a god can take issue with the invocation of a god in the pledge of allegiance...

[BrklynLiberal]

5. How many countries have daily pledges of allegiance to their flag in their

schools every day?

Anyone know what they are?

[BrklynLiberal]

9. A little history of the Pledge of allegiance

History of the Pledge of Allegiance Holds a Lot More Than `Under God'
By Nancy Haught

Religion News Service -After recent court cases, many Americans know that the phrase "under God" was added to "The Pledge of Allegiance" in the 1950s. But do you know who wrote the Pledge, when and -- perhaps more important -- why?

Richard J. Ellis didn't. So the politics professor at Willamette University in Salem, Ore., decided to research it, and the result is "To the Flag: The Unlikely History of the Pledge of Allegiance," published in April. Here are some of the surprising things he learned:

"The Pledge of Allegiance" is 113 years old. It was written in 1892, to celebrate Columbus' discovery of America and the country's public school system.

It was written by Francis Bellamy. He and James B. Upham worked for Youth's Companion, a Boston-based nationally circulated magazine. Their descendants have argued about who wrote the Pledge, but Ellis believes the evidence clearly shows it was Bellamy, a former Baptist minister with an interest in Christian socialism. Upham came up with the original Pledge salute.

The original salute began with a military gesture, the right hand, palm down, raised to the right eyebrow. Then, at the words, "to my flag," the right hand was raised skyward, with the palm up. Over time, people didn't turn their palms up and, by the 1940s, the gesture looked a lot like a Nazi salute. Congress changed it in 1942.

<snip>

more...


http://www.bennyhinn.org/yourlife/InTheNews-One-Nation-Under-God/History-of-the-Pledge-of-Allegiance-Holds.html


other versions of this history:

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

In 1954, Congress after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, added the words, 'under God,' to the Pledge. The Pledge was now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer.

Bellamy's granddaughter said he also would have resented this second change. He had been pressured into leaving his church in 1891 because of his socialist sermons

http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/flag/1bfc_pledge.html

http://www.legion.org/?section=our_flag&subsection=flag_history&content=flag_history

http://slate.msn.com/?id=2067499

the original Pledge of Allegiance—meant as an expression of patriotism, not religious faith—also made no mention of God. The pledge was written in 1892 by the socialist Francis Bellamy, a cousin of the famous radical writer Edward Bellamy. He devised it for the popular magazine Youth's Companion on the occasion of the nation's first celebration of Columbus Day. Its wording omitted reference not only to God but also, interestingly, to the United States:

"I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Wrong.

[Modem Butterfly]

10. Actually, this is a suit brought by eight families...

...and argued by Michael Newdow.

[BurtWorm]

11. Dad apparently doesn't object to the pledge.

He objects to the words "under God" in the pledge. So do I. They weren't in the original. They were added at the height of anti-Godless-communism in the 1950s, 40 years after the pledge was written. Chuck 'em. (Chuck the whole pointless pledge, I say, but I'm not going to court to get it chucked.)

[BurtWorm]

8. I will certainly let my representatives know that I don't approve

of empty grandstanding on this issue. If any of them emptily grandstand, I will let them know of my displeasure.

I'm not going to base my vote on this one issue in the next election, but I'm not going to look the other way if the Republicans try to demagogue this.

[MrSlayer]

12. I couldn't care less.

In the grand scheme of things this is a nothing issue to me.

[LSK]

13. we have REALLY STUPID people out there who get DISTRACTED easily

While I personally do not want the pledge in school, this is an issue that can blow up on us. People do not understand seperation of church and state and do not understand the dangers of nationalism. In a time we are trying to stop people from voting against their own best interests, this is exactly the type of issue that people will look at and once again, vote against their best interests.

[spindoctor]

14. Off topic: At 40 years of age, I have to take the pledge for the 1st time

'tis true

Although I still have some reservations, it is better for my family if I become a naturalized citizen and as such, I will have to take the pledge before a Homeland Security official.

In exchange for my allegience and $450 I will then become a US citizen.

On the bright side, it will mean one more DEM vote in 2006 ;)

[patcox2]

15. Your poll questions are badly flawed; they present overlapping options.

Some questions deal with the politics of it, some with people's opinion on the issue. There are many who, like myself, want to answer both B and C because these are overlapping opinions, it is easily possible, in fact likely, that someone does not want the democrats to make an issue of it, and who also personally doesn't care, and hell, even doesn't mind it being there.

By splitting these three answers apart, you make it look like the "take a big loud stand on it" faction is the largest, when in fact its not, its just the group that doesn't work and is home to answer polls during the day.

[Dervill Crow]

16. The whole pledge of allegiance annoys the hell out of me.

It smacks of idolatry. I'm a polytheist, and pledging allegiance to the flag annoys me; I don't understand why Judao-Christians would be cool with it. But that's the least of our troubles.

Ever since * and his minions have highjacked the flag and Jesus and God I've been embarrassed for patriotism and religion.

[ck4829]

17. Religion can be a beautiful thing. But, there is a place for it...

and the School is not it.

[otohara]

19. A God?

if it meant "any God" - which is should, then I wouldn't find it so offensive. But it's in reference to the Chritian version only

[Lecky]

20. I'm in camp "I don't care"

What a nonimportant issue...