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The Pledge of Allegiance, something to ponder...
13 years ago
General
I try not to get political. I mean, yes I'm a Democratic leaning Independent. Simply because we live in a "Democracy" and I believe each of us should think "Independently".
But here is something to really ponder... The USA is a "democratic republic", a country that is both a republic and a democracy.
With that in mind, when was the last time you pledged allegiance to the flag of this nation? Do you remember the words? Think back now, and really listen to those words... Now consider this...
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.
In its original form it read:
"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
In 1923, the words, "the Flag of the United States of America" were added. At this time it read:
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today. Bellamy's daughter objected to this alteration. Today it reads:
"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'm sure many of use remember the later version. And most of us probably remember reciting it in school every morning. Did you notice there is no mention of "Democracy"? And isn't it interesting that now days, the pledge of allegiance is no longer spoken in school? Supposedly because of the term "One nation under god", and this conflicts with the separation of church and state.
Perhaps I am wrong, but I think it's due for a rewording. And it should once again be recited in school. I think it should read...
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the democratic republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
But here is something to really ponder... The USA is a "democratic republic", a country that is both a republic and a democracy.
With that in mind, when was the last time you pledged allegiance to the flag of this nation? Do you remember the words? Think back now, and really listen to those words... Now consider this...
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.
In its original form it read:
"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
In 1923, the words, "the Flag of the United States of America" were added. At this time it read:
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today. Bellamy's daughter objected to this alteration. Today it reads:
"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'm sure many of use remember the later version. And most of us probably remember reciting it in school every morning. Did you notice there is no mention of "Democracy"? And isn't it interesting that now days, the pledge of allegiance is no longer spoken in school? Supposedly because of the term "One nation under god", and this conflicts with the separation of church and state.
Perhaps I am wrong, but I think it's due for a rewording. And it should once again be recited in school. I think it should read...
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the democratic republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
TwilightStormshi
~twilightstormshi
we elect representatives to do our voting for us. and even those elections are voted on by the representatives already in place. that's a republic. a democracy would be where every measure/bill/act of war/whatever is voted on directly by the people, and the outcome is determined by popular winner. "democratic republic" is a us-coined pr term describing republican nations with a high degree of "freedom" as rated by Freedom House. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_House i think it's a bullshit term. i'm socially liberal and economically conservative, and i don't care enough about the pledge of allegiance to see it changed or to care what it is now. if someone is truly allegiant, they shouldn't have to pledge it.
