he Pledge of Allegiance has undergone a few minor changes since it was composed in 1892, but the most significant, and controversial change is the addition of the words “Under God” in 1954 by Congress. Since the Pledge of Allegiance is considered the official mantra of the United States Government, should our government continue to include the words "under God" in the pledge, or should it be removed? In a country where the constitution expresses separation of church and state, was the Federal Appeals Court correct when the pledge was judged unconstitutional because of the words “Under God” ?
We have to think about the intention of the Pledge. The pledge was not designed as a call for religious belief , but rather it was written as a call
…show more content…
The pledge was not designed as a call for religious belief , but rather it was written as a call to our nation for unity and patriotism, for the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America Francis Bellamy, the author and creator of the Pledge, has said this about his own work, "It began as an intensive communing with salient points of our national history, from the Declaration of Independence onwards; with the makings of the Constitution . . . with the meaning of the Civil War; with the aspiration of the people..." Bellamy's quote quite obviously addresses one and only concern the unification of his country as a whole, without alienating any one person. Francis Bellamy didn’t wish, or want to force his Christian views on others who believe in something different. In fact, the words "under God" were never even added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954 after Eisenhower pleaded congress to add these words. The term, “One Nation Under God”, it not accurate, we are not a nation under “god”, we are a nation that accepts everyone for who they are. We come from diverse religious backgrounds, including those who have no religion. We all have different beliefs and views on religions, and no one religious group should be given special treatment by the
... Since its inception, the Pledge of Allegiance has been and is still used as a sign of respect to the country instead of a religious practice.
In the 2008 the United States Census Bureau, Self-Described Religious Identification of Adult Population, The Christian faith proved to be the more dominating religion out of all religions. So it would seem the words “Under God” would be beneficial for the majority, the Pledge of Allegiance allures and supports the loyalty of the majority of citizens. The nonbelievers of religion have had the right to not recite the pledge since 1943 but have been asked to quietly stand while the believers recite the pledge in its entirety. Even though leaving out “Under God” is not a difficult task we can clearly see a division has now developed, opposite of bringing the people together. Another example that shows the pledge allures and supports a loyalty to the majority of citizens, the acceptance and encouragement to keep ...
Every morning over 75 million students around the nation recite the Pledge of Allegiance verbatim (Digest of Education Statistics). If one walks up to one of these students and asks them about the meaning and the origin of this pledge, what would they say? Nothing. However, even though more than a million students recite these words every day, not more than half probably know the true meaning behind these words. One cannot deny the fact that most of these children just want to get this pledge “over with” to continue talking to their peers. The Pledge of Allegiance has gone through several changes since Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, wrote it in 1892. The pledge acts as a source of patriotism, national pride and controversy. The statement, “under God” has caused much controversy and has created a distinct line between the supporters and non supporters of the pledge. America, which famously provides one with true equality, ironically has a pledge that goes against its doctrine and foundations. The changes that occur throughout the years to the pledge that results in its undeniable controversy and losing value. The adjustments lead to the pledge’s undeniable ambiguity and the nation should revert to its previous 1924 pledge.
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson (with the help of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, as well as many others), was signed on July 1st, 1776 in Philadelphia. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence to appeal to the British Parliament and King and explain why the American Colonies wanted independence from England. Thomas Jefferson and the other delegates from the Second Continental Congress agreed that, “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator certain unalienable rights” (p. 112) which became the base for nearly all of the points made in the document. Logical and emotional statements were used throughout the document to make impactful statements that would convince the audience of the seriousness of the matters they were presenting.
The Star Spangled Banner is a sacred song in the United States of America. It not only is a symbol of the fight that soldiers have had to go through, but also a representation of freedom. When the National Anthem plays out of respect for our country, and those who fought for it, everyone is supposed to stand and remove their hats. Currently in the National Football League (NFL) there is a handful of players, mainly African Americans, that have been taking a knee or raising a fist during the play of our National Anthem. This I believe, is a great sign of disrespect for our country and our veterans. This I believe, is very immature and unnecessary. This I believe, should be put to a stop by the NFL and the players should be ashamed of himself for doing this. I am aware that the players have the right to do this, but there are many reasons why this should not be taking place.
Many students all across America stand and salute to the flag every morning and repeat these words, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, To the republic for which it stands, one nation, Under God, Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” There are controversy behind these words of historical allegiance, and that is why many people are refusing to stand for the pledge. This nation was founded upon freedom and liberties, and with those liberties comes with the freedom to choose your religion. The words “Under God”
First, I would like to talk about the history of the Pledge of Allegiance. Many people today recite the Pledge of Allegiance but do not know the history that took place behind it. The Pledge of Allegiance was originally written more than a century ago. The original pledge was: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic, for which it stands, one Nation, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all . The flag serves as a symbol of our country and its proud traditions of freedom and equal opportunity. In the 1920s, the National Flag Conferences replaced the phrase “my Flag” with “the Flag of the United States of America.” In 1954, Communist threats occurred causing Congress to add the words under God to the pledge. Then 12 years later, Congress reviewed the Pledge of Allegiance and added the words “Under God .” While reciting the Pledge of Allegiance it should be recited by standing placing your
In war-torn, impoverished, and communist countries, America is a symbol for freedom. In America, our flag that waves red, white, and blue, is a symbol for our freedom. The Pledge of Allegiance begins with the words, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands..." This republic form of government is what grants Americans freedom: the power is invested in the people, and the government is responsible for protecting the rights of the people. A republic can only prevail if the citizens understand and properly practice the responsibilities that such power entrusts with them. For example, the first amendment of the Constitution protects freedom of speech; this liberty is meant for good, but can easily be abused. My responsibility is to use my constitutional rights for good, however, issues concerning responsibility seldom have just one correct solution.
According to Thomas Jefferson, all men are created equal with certain unalienable rights. Unalienable rights are rights given to the people by their Creator rather than by government. These rights are inseparable from us and can’t be altered, denied, nullified or taken away by any government, except in extremely rare circumstances in which the government can take action against a particular right as long as it is in favor of the people’s safety. The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America mentions three examples of unalienable rights: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. I believe these rights, since they are acquired by every human being from the day they are conceived, should always be respected, but being realistic, most of the time, the government intervenes and either diminishes or
I do not stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. This is a right, shown by the West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette decision that students have the right to refuse to stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance ("West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette"). This 1943 case remains relevant to students today, who do not stand for one reason: they will not pledge themselves to a flag and a country that claims liberty and justice for all but fails to come through. It is clear that America has not achieved and does not achieve its promises of freedom for all, as demonstrated by numerous historical continuities.
The Pledge of Allegiance has become a major issue for students, teachers, parents and lawmakers. The original intention of the pledge was not to stir up trouble, but for a celebration of Christopher Columbus discovery of the new world. The pledge is no longer thought of as a celebration, but an infringement on children's religious beliefs. Do you believe that children's rights are being infringed on? Some people believe that the pledge is a great honor for our country. It has shown, and provided us with great pride just like our American flag. The Pledge of Allegiance being recited in the public school system does not infringe on the students religious beliefs, but is a way for us to honor our country and everything that we have done to get to this point in history.
Before analyzing the above described controversy, we must first examine the history of the Pledge itself. Written by Francis Bellamy, it was originally titled the “Pledge to the Flag” and was created in the late 1800’s to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. It originally read: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all” (McCarthy, 2005). Changes were later made to include the words “of the United States” and “of America” to indicate which flag was being referenced. The final changes to the Pledge came in 1954 when it officially became titled the “Pledge of Allegiance” and the words “under God” were added after “one nation.” This addition to the Pledge was meant to support the United States as a religious nation. While signing the law to put this change into effect, President Eisenhower said, “In this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war” (McCarthy, 2005).
The pledge of allegiance violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. I believe that the pledge is mismatched with democracy and freedom which suggest that pledges of allegiance are features of dictatorial states like Nazi Germany.
There have been debates regarding citizen’s constitutional rights regarding the pledge. In 1954, the United States government implanted the words “under god” as an element of the pledge. Many people who are agnostic, and atheist feel as though reciting the pledge go against the rights granted to them by the Constitution. On the other hand, I believe that the reciting the pledge does not go against human beings “rights.” There are
Pledge allegiance to the flag is a fifteen second pledge which was first composed by Francis Bellamy in the year 1892. He was a socialist minister who died in the year 1931. Bellamy, as he was composing the song, he wanted to come up with a song for loyalty stand to the country in which it could be used by all countries and not only in united states of America. The first time it was published was on an article in the states called “The Youth 's Companion,” on the 8th of September 1892. It was a sign of loyalty to the country and all its endeavors. Francis had an idea in mind that all people should be required to sing the pledge or recite by law. It forms the national anthem to the allegiance of the United States. The congress adopted the