Remove the Almighty From the Pledge

Remove the Almighty From the Pledge
by Nathan Poole, Columnist

June 27, 2002

Contributor Nathan Poole The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional Wednesday because it contains the words "under God." This was the first time ever that an appeals court has declared the pledge, or any requirement to force children recite the pledge, unconstitutional. Judge Alfred T. Goodwin, who wrote for the three-judge panel, stated that "a profession that we are a nation 'under God' is identical, for Establishment Clause purposes, to a profession that we are a nation 'under Jesus,' a nation 'under Vishnu,' a nation 'under Zeus,' or a nation 'under no god,' because none of these professions can be neutral with respect to religion."

Congress passed legislation in 1954 that added the phrase that effectively made school children pledge an allegiance to "one nation under God." When President Eisenhower signed the legislation into law, he expressed his hope that "millions of our schoolchildren [would] daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty."

Gov. Jesse Ventura (I-MN) (WWW) Recently, outgoing Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura (right) vetoed a bill that would have required Minnesota's public school students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at least once a week. Governor Ventura, however, did not site religion as one his reasons for vetoing the legislation, but rather a personal problem he has with "telling children what to say."

Should the words "under God" be stricken from the Pledge of Allegiance so that our children will not be forced to pledge their loyalty to a higher power? Should the pledge be abolished altogether so that no child is forced to pledge any loyalty at all to his or her nation?

To answer the latter question first, I must give a resounding ABSOLUTELY NOT! The Pledge of Allegiance is a vital American value that should and must be taught to our children, the future leaders of America. To completely abolish the pledge is to say that it is acceptable and morally correct to rid our nation of any value that we personally disagree with.

Now, to answer the first question I posed, I must reply that it is indeed time to strike the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. The fact of the matter is that including these words in the pledge-a pledge that is widely recited in schools across the nation-is unconstitutional. Conservatives and liberals alike always seem to have a difficult time allowing facts to interfere with their opinions, so I will make it as clear as I possibly can for my fellow citizens on both sides of the political fence.

It is unconstitutional to establish religion, however vague, in any part of our governmental system-including the Pledge of Allegiance. The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."

I can already hear my critics. The Pledge of Allegiance is not a law, they will surely say. Again with the facts. President Eisenhower most certainly did sign into law a bill passed by Conrgess that added the words "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."

Damn those pesky facts.

We cannot afford to give those Americans who feel that the Pledge of Allegiance must be abolished the tool of separation of church and state in order to accomplish their goal. The pledge is more than just a group of words. It is important. We must, without hesitation, strike the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. ***

A native of San Antonio, Texas and a veteran of the United States Air Force, Nathan Poole is employed by the United States Postal Service. He lives in Irwindale, California with his wife and family.

Photo of the author courtesy of staff files
Photo of Governor Jesse Ventura (I-MN) courtesy of the State of Minnesota