Pledges

It is time for the Pledge of Allegiance to revert to its former wording. Many may not know that is was written by socialist minister Francis Bellamy in 1893. In 1954, another minister, Reverend George Docherty convinced President Eisenhower and Congress to add the words "under G-d".

This is how the pledge looked when it was first written:

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

In 1923, it was changed to:

"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, during the era of McCarthyism and the scare of the red menace of the Soviet Union, it was changed once again:

"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."

It is interesting to see that our Founding Fathers did not see the need for free citizens to recite an oath of allegiance. The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee freedom of liberty and justice for all. Do we even really need a pledge to assert that we believe in the ideals of this country? Do we need the added "under G-d"? A persons religion or lack thereof should be personal. It is a right that is so profound that our Founding Fathers in the Bill of Rights adopted as the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The Washington Post article It's Time to Update the Pledge suggest because of the changing face of Americans personal beliefs, it is time to take out the words "under G-d". I'll one step further, we don't need a pledge at all. For 117 years, our country did just fine with out one. We don't really need it and to me, it goes against the principles for which this country stands.

Why should we as free people have to prove our loyalty by asserting a pledge? We assert our loyalty and love of country each day by working and living our lives in the pursuit of happiness. Our courts ensure liberty and justice for all.

Do we really need a pledge if we are a free people?