In California, a high school student, Derek Giardina, was punished for omitting the words under God while leading his school in the Pledge of Allegiance. Derek was given detention and had his grades docked as his punishment. He stated that he’d prefer not to say the pledge at all, because he isn’t very patriotic and not at all religious. Derek feels that being punished for his religious beliefs, or lack of them in this case, was wrong. The powers that be at the school district, on the other hand, are standing by the decision made by the school’s administrators. Their reasoning is that if you lead the school in the pledge, it should be done in the traditional way.
Which traditional way, though? Prior to 1954, the phrase “under god” wasn’t in the pledge. That means that for 62 years the pledge was god-free. But in 1954, there was a cold war going on and in order to show those godless commies that America was filled to the brim with god-fearing, upstanding citizens. So, the pledge has been recited sans god longer than it has with god.
I know there are those among us who don’t like to admit that the pledge really was godless at one time. These same people don’t want anyone else to admit it, either. It’s easier for them to pretend that their god has always been inserted into government, and that if you aren’t a Christian, you can’t really love our country, and then they cluck their tongues with such force, they dislodge a couple of teeth. As if the idea of a godless pledge wasn’t enough, when reminded that darling little school children across America used to perform the Bellamy salute while they were pledging allegiance, their heads threaten to explode. The Bellamy salute is the same straight-arm salute given to Hitler by his minions, and once the U.S. noticed this similarity, the darling, little school children were told to stop sticking their arms out because it made them look like darling, little Nazis.
And, call me un-American, but pledging allegiance to a flag reeks of dogmatism. I’m not sure how to reconcile being a country where we have freedom of speech and choice when it comes to politics and religion, but at the same time we expect six-year-old children to pledge their loyalty to a flag. It’s creepy, people.
Sometimes, I just don’t know what to do with you, America. At times you make me proud, but other times you embarrass me, like when you punish a student for choosing to not recognize someone’s choice of deity. Why, if there is supposed to be separation of church and state, can public schools even recite something that states that our country is “under god”? More importantly, how can we sit by and let it happen? If you’re reading this, tsk-ing and possibly even spitting out how God should not only be in our pledge, but also in our schools, think about this, tongue cluckers: What if the phrase so neatly placed in between one nation and indivisible was “under Allah” instead?
Rachel Birdsell is a freelance writer and artist. You can reach her at rabirdsell@gmail.com
He Deserves A Flagging
Rachel Birdsell
In California, a high school student, Derek Giardina, was punished for omitting the words under God while leading his school in the Pledge of Allegiance. Derek was given detention and had his grades docked as his punishment. He stated that he’d prefer not to say the pledge at all, because he isn’t very patriotic and not at all religious. Derek feels that being punished for his religious beliefs, or lack of them in this case, was wrong. The powers that be at the school district, on the other hand, are standing by the decision made by the school’s administrators. Their reasoning is that if you lead the school in the pledge, it should be done in the traditional way.
Which traditional way, though? Prior to 1954, the phrase “under god” wasn’t in the pledge. That means that for 62 years the pledge was god-free. But in 1954, there was a cold war going on and in order to show those godless commies that America was filled to the brim with god-fearing, upstanding citizens. So, the pledge has been recited sans god longer than it has with god.
I know there are those among us who don’t like to admit that the pledge really was godless at one time. These same people don’t want anyone else to admit it, either. It’s easier for them to pretend that their god has always been inserted into government, and that if you aren’t a Christian, you can’t really love our country, and then they cluck their tongues with such force, they dislodge a couple of teeth. As if the idea of a godless pledge wasn’t enough, when reminded that darling little school children across America used to perform the Bellamy salute while they were pledging allegiance, their heads threaten to explode. The Bellamy salute is the same straight-arm salute given to Hitler by his minions, and once the U.S. noticed this similarity, the darling, little school children were told to stop sticking their arms out because it made them look like darling, little Nazis.
And, call me un-American, but pledging allegiance to a flag reeks of dogmatism. I’m not sure how to reconcile being a country where we have freedom of speech and choice when it comes to politics and religion, but at the same time we expect six-year-old children to pledge their loyalty to a flag. It’s creepy, people.
Sometimes, I just don’t know what to do with you, America. At times you make me proud, but other times you embarrass me, like when you punish a student for choosing to not recognize someone’s choice of deity. Why, if there is supposed to be separation of church and state, can public schools even recite something that states that our country is “under god”? More importantly, how can we sit by and let it happen? If you’re reading this, tsk-ing and possibly even spitting out how God should not only be in our pledge, but also in our schools, think about this, tongue cluckers: What if the phrase so neatly placed in between one nation and indivisible was “under Allah” instead?
Rachel Birdsell is a freelance writer and artist. You can reach her at rabirdsell@gmail.com