Thread: "Under God"... should be removed from the "Pledge"

Originally Posted by Johnny-C

What if those kids started ADDING things (aloud, to replace) rather than 'omitting' those words? If THAT began happening nationwide, I bet you'd see my point more clearly. In fact, I'm going to work on re-writing that "Pledge" and ask my political representative about considering such changes as I might suggest.


There is NO NEED to say the Pledge daily at all. What is the purpose of requiring student to recite it? I'm in the military, and while I tend to pray frequently at times to bolster my spiritual strength, but I'm sure the atheists and others around me would not value hearing the Chaplain go on-and-on... about his specific beliefs. I understand that "God" is deeply important to many Americans... but it isn't right to DAILY subject certain students in various classrooms to a tradition which they cannot fully relate to; not to mention that it likely alienates them.

A moment/period of silence or personal reflection would be far better.


Just let the kids be 'quiet'; mandating that the Pledge be recited (in general by the school system) isn't necessary, so leave it out. It's okay to TEACH or TEACH ABOUT it... but reciting it daily as a group isn't efficacious.


As I said, I want atheist kids and others to start REPLACING the words, to drive the point home.

I don't see what's so offensive about the Pledge, or its wording...

“Under God” makes no reference to any specific god of any specific religion. One does not have to be religious or go to church to believe in God. Ergo, there is nothing about it that violates the First Amendment. If you personally feel marginalized by the idea of God, just be honest about it. You'll get a lot more sympathy with that than by trying to rain on everyone else's parade just because you can't accept something you don't like. When you turn your own personal problem into everyone's problem, you only turn yourself into a pariah and invite hostility against you.

Originally Posted by Really People?

I don't see what's so offensive about the Pledge, or its wording...

Even so, many (rightly) find it offensive and alienating.

The pledge itself is stupid. They can put "under God" "under Satan" or under "Porky Pig" in the pledge for all I care.

Originally Posted by Johnny-C

Even so, many (rightly) find it offensive and alienating.

I guess some do...

I suspect that most don't feel the need to make a spectacle of it though...

Originally Posted by Really People?

I guess some do...

I suspect that most don't feel the need to make a spectacle of it though...

I don't know how old you are, but I can tell you that this needs to be resolved legally (in a court of law).

Unless people send their kids to a private school, where religion or mentions of God and ritualistic traditions aren't objected to, then they need to attend to the needs of all as best they can.

I think the proper solution(s) would be to NOT recite the "Pledge" daily (as a rule)... or restore the original wording (pre-1954) to make it all-inclusive.

Its already a tradition, leave ther man..

some people just need to stop being over sensitive about insignificant things..

Originally Posted by reckoning

Its already a tradition, leave ther man..

some people just need to stop being over sensitive about insignificant things..

I'm very HAPPY this is going to court.

Originally Posted by reckoning

Its already a tradition, leave ther man..

some people just need to stop being over sensitive about insignificant things..

I'd say it's a taint on our pledge rather than a tradition. The pledge is pretty pointless though, and doesn't really have a place here in the land of the free. The greatest nation on Earth shouldn't need your to pledge your loyalty every day, you should just give it voluntarily when the time comes. That's what members of the military do already.

Originally Posted by My Fing ID

I'd say it's a taint on our pledge rather than a tradition. The pledge is pretty pointless though, and doesn't really have a place here in the land of the free. The greatest nation on Earth shouldn't need your to pledge your loyalty every day, you should just give it voluntarily when the time comes. That's what members of the military do already.

Amen and THANK YOU!!