I will be the first to admit it — I have quirks and pet peeves. People talking on their cell phones while driving, talking in the movie theater, and constant uses of “ain’t” and “gonna” (What can I say? I’m a grammar Nazi) are among them. Over the past few months, however, I have developed a new pet peeve: disrespect towards the pledge of allegiance. Fewer people refuse to say the pledge of allegiance or even stand at attention while it is being said. Worse still, people are laughing and talking during it! To me, this is a sign of complete disrespect towards our nation and the people who have fought to defend it. At times I wonder if it is a lack of understanding causing this disrespect. Therefore, in this installment, I would like to analyze the pledge of allegiance, line by line, and hopefully reinforce its significance.



“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…”



What does allegiance to a flag have to do with our devotion to the United States? Everything, in my opinion. This first line of our pledge is not about placing all of our trust in fabric with “thirteen bars and fifty stars”. The flag, originally created by Betsy Ross in 1776, is a symbol of our freedom and everything America stands for. The blue square represents vigilance, determination, and justice and holds fifty stars to represent the determination of the prideful citizens of all fifty states. The red stripes represent the blood our soldiers have shed in the name of freedom and the valor they displayed while defending our nation. The white stripes represent purity and innocence. The red and white stripes together represent the Thirteen Colonies and their citizens, who were willing to leave their homeland for religious freedom and tolerance without fear of persecution. When we say this line, we are proudly proclaiming our love for everything America stands for, not proclaiming the flag as a symbol of idolism or worship .



“And to the republic, for which it stands…”



Devotion to every inch of the 3.79 million square miles that make up the United States of America is established in the second line of the pledge. We should also care about the citizens who inhabit it, respect our elected officials, and embrace the rights we as Americans proudly proclaim. Francis Bellamy, the writer of the original pledge of allegiance, once said, “The true reason for allegiance to the flag is the ‘republic for which it stands.’” If we as Americans cannot respect our country and devote ourselves to it, how can we expect other nations to respect us? We must embrace the qualities and characteristics that allow us to consider ourselves true, devoted Americans.



“One nation under God…”



These four words are considered the most controversial, yet also the most powerful, words of the entire pledge. Before the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the words “under God” were not in the pledge. A group of Roman Catholic men called The Knights of Columbus, campaigned for recognition to a deity. At first, their efforts were in vain; however, the campaign turned in their favor after President Eisenhower heard a preacher proclaim that apart from the words United States of America, it could be considered “the pledge of any country.” Thus the phrase “under God,” which came from President Lincoln’s speech The Gettysburg Address so many years before was added. Despite our country’s founding on religious principles, people often claim that since our country was founded on the basis of religious tolerance, we should officially omit these words. I question the basis of this argument, however. How is disrespect towards our pledge that contains these four words tolerance in any fashion? Would it not show more tolerance and respect to our country to disband these arguments and salute our flag in a timely manner, simply omitting the words ourselves if we wish to do so? Furthermore, religious controversy with the pledge was long a problem before a mention to God was even in the pledge of allegiance! Texan politician Randy Neugebauer once put it: “The Pledge of Allegiance reflects the truth that faith in God has played a significant role in America since the days of the founding of our country.” William Rehnquist, the 16th Chief Justice of the United States, wrote this when parents claimed the phrase “under God” was unconstitutional and should be removed: “To give the parent of such a child a sort of ‘heckler’s veto’ over a patriotic ceremony willingly participated in by other students, simply because the Pledge of Allegiance contains the descriptive phrase ‘under God,’ is an unwarranted extension of the establishment clause, an extension which would have the unfortunate effect of prohibiting a commendable patriotic observance.” Like many in our government, I feel that these controversial words of our pledge are an element of what our entire country is about!



“Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”



Although this is the last line of the pledge, it is certainly not the least. What makes our country so strong and such a wonderful place is that it cannot be divided, yet there is freedom and equal power for all that live here. A true “melting pot”, America is home to many ethnicities and cultures. Every person is a part of one another, and together, we are the powerful force called the United States of America. The phrase “with liberty and justice for all” reminds us that anyone in America has freedom, regardless of race, religion, gender, social class, or any other division that could possibly be made. It also reinforces that we are given the opportunity to make our own decisions, good or bad, as long as these choices do not break the laws made by the people that we elect to office.





Determining the importance of our pledge



The pledge of allegiance holds great significance to me. I take pride in knowing that my country believes in freedom for everyone, and I am proud of the soldiers risking their lives for my ability to say these words. However, I know that my view is not shared by everyone. Some people do not understand the pledge’s purpose or simply refuse to say it. Others have gone even further and asked to government to declare the pledge as unconstitutional because of its reference to a higher deity. My question is this: If the pledge is considered to be offensive because of a reference to God, and the phrase was therefore omitted, would it not show offense to religious Americans by showing favoritism to those against religion? Despite any court ruling that could be made in years to come, I will proudly say my pledge to my country, and I will salute the flag and all that it represents, with many fellow Americans by my side.



Samra Ward is a sophomore at Meridian High School. E-mail her at hoddytoddygrl89@aol.com.