The United States Pledge of Allegiance

Natira · **Mon Apr 22, 2002 11:09 am The United States Pledge of Allegiance**

As a schoolboy, one of Red Skelton's teachers
explained the words and meaning of the
Pledge of Allegiance to his class.
Skelton later wrote down, and eventually recorded,
his recollection of this lecture.
It is followed by an observation of his own.

I - - Me; an individual; a committee of one.
Pledge - - Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.
Allegiance - - My love and my devotion.
To the Flag - - Our standard; Old Glory; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, Freedom is everybody's job.
United - - That means that we have all come together.
States of America- - Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country.
And to the Republic - - a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people; and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
For which it stands
One Nation - meaning, so blessed by God.
Indivisible - - Incapable of being divided.
With Liberty - - Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one's own life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.
And Justice - - The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.
For All - which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.

And now, boys and girls, let me hear you
recite the Pledge of Allegiance:

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.

Since I was a small boy, two states have
been added to our country,
and two words have been added to the Pledge of
Allegiance: Under God.
Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer,
and that would be eliminated from schools, too?
--Red Skelton

Natira · **Mon Apr 22, 2002 11:14 am**

I just thought this was cool so I shared it. I was just curious what you all felt, so that's why I put in the poll. Please remember when answering, try not to post anything that would be offensive to others, and also remember, that believing in God, is just as much a right, as not.

This poll is not limited to US citizens alone. Anyone can feel free to put in thier thoughts. Please also remember that God is whatever you put your faith in, so no matter what you believe, you have some sort of God, or driving force in your life.

Curtis · **Mon Apr 22, 2002 11:56 am**

I am cool with all this.

Theresa · **Mon Apr 22, 2002 3:44 pm**

Yes, because you are allowed virtually anything else in public schools. They hand out contraceptives, etc...., but a student is not allowed to pray? That's an infringement upon our personal rights. I can understand not pushing your beleifs on others, but not being allowed to do what you feel is right, is wrong. They say that other students seeing that one student pray would feel pressured, that is so bogus. If you are a non-smoker, and you walk by someone w/ a cigarette, does that always make you feel pressured to smoke? I don't think so. If it's something that you already have an issue with, you are going to be dealing w/ it anyway. Prayer is a personal freedom, and I dare them to tell me to stop.

Natira · **Wed Apr 24, 2002 7:14 pm**

I didnt think so many people would be afraid to post or vote here. What you guys are forgetting, is that you lost the right to pray. This has nothing to do with whether or not you believe in God. Its a matter of if we should have the right to do as we feel.

Chinesetrekkie · **Wed Apr 24, 2002 7:24 pm**

I do not have a religion, and I guess it is fair since what would we pray to? Christian, Jewism, ect..? So I guess it was made a law to keep people happy, because we are not a one religion country, and thats what makes this country better than most. I agree just praying should be allowed, for there is no harm to that, and it is you freedom to pray.

Natira · **Wed Apr 24, 2002 7:38 pm**

Put it this way, it wasnt the fact of who we prayed to, it was our right to pray. If you think about it, they took all our rights away to make athiests happy. There was no specific religion that was preferred. When on your own free time, they should have no right to tell you that you cant have a bible study or prayer with others. Or even do some kind of meditating or whatever. (I'm not too familliar with many other religions.)

Scapegoat Bob · **Wed Apr 24, 2002 9:15 pm**

Yes, they are taking away our individuality. Even a schizo like me can see that.

Chinesetrekkie · **Wed Apr 24, 2002 10:54 pm**

well, i don't have anything against religion, so i think it is unfair to loss the right, it is also unconsitutional

Natira · **Thu Apr 25, 2002 12:01 am**

Let me ask you if this is infringing on my rights? As a Christian, I do not believe in Evolution. Yet, they teach that in school, and most often you dont get any teachers who will talk about creation, or even let you. Is it fair for me to have to sit there and listen to something that goes totally against my beliefs?

Theresa · **Thu Apr 25, 2002 3:03 pm**

One of my teachers threatened to send me to the principals office because I asked her to teach evolution and creation as theory on both sides, not fact on one, (evolution), and basically fantasy on the other, (creation). Lets just say sitting in the office watching the secretary do her work is not very entertaining.

Chinesetrekkie · **Sat Apr 27, 2002 12:49 am**

Natira · **Sat Apr 27, 2002 9:52 am**

Supposedly that was a compromise. Yet much of the population lost rights, while some gained more.

Chinesetrekkie · **Sun Apr 28, 2002 1:27 am**

5thhouse · **Sat May 11, 2002 2:07 pm**

The sad thing about all of these regulations is that 99.9% of students could actually care less. It is sad, in our world, that in school choir we can not sing a Hebrew song of hope for peace because one administrator thinks that it hes religious implications.

1 OF 1 · **Sun May 12, 2002 11:18 pm**

I think they did. This is supposed to be a free country. Especially now, a few prayers wouldn't hurt anyone.

Natira · **Mon May 13, 2002 5:48 pm**

Exactly what I was trying to say.

BTW, I want to make it known that the poll was changed. Not everyone voted no.

Theresa · **Mon May 13, 2002 10:00 pm**

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Who changed the poll?

1 OF 1 · **Mon May 13, 2002 11:01 pm**

Good question.

Natira · **Sat May 18, 2002 6:46 pm**

I dont think the poll was changed. I think it's some kind of bug with the new forum. I wish Morphy were able to fix it soon. I know he's busy though.

Natira · **Sat May 18, 2002 6:50 pm**

I did just change the options to both yes's because I know they were before. It was irritating me to see it that way! lol

Aslan · Ensign Joined: 18 May 2002 Posts: 56 Location: Alaska

I am old enough to remember what it was like to have prayer and Bible reading in Public schools. Sounds weird now dosn`t it. Not all teachers did this but my 1st grade teacher did. I believe there was more respect for elders and others then. I think it stemmed from peoples beliefs and ideals. Even kids who didn`t go to church heard some pretty good things to help them along in school. Now it`s illeagle except under special circumstances. I think it`s very sad. It was an atheist, Maddeline O`hare, who got the government to take prayer out of school. I don`t care who you are, even if you think you don`t have a faith, you do. An atheists faith is in man and what man can do on his own. She made quite a "religion" out of atheism.

Natira · **Sat Jun 08, 2002 11:54 am**

It's funny, I am not able to sit at my desk w/ my head down, and say a prayer, yet when I was in school, they "forced" us to practice using a condom. I always thought that's something a parent should be talking about with kids. I know for sure, that when I have kids, they wont be learning about sex from a stranger who as far as I know has absolutely no morals. I think that's half the problem right there. How many kids now a days really understand, or have any morals?

Los · **Sat Jun 08, 2002 2:28 pm**

I graduated in HS in 99.
But once a week, a group of kids gathered around the flagpole, usually wednesday, and had someone lead them in prayer. Once a year, they had a FCC (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) where they would all gather around the flagpole and sing and pray... Usually involved about 4-500 people.
Being in Honor Choir and marching band, we always prayed before a performance, whether if it was to just do good, or just pray we don't fall apart.
I miss the good ole days.

Seven of Nine · **Sat Jun 08, 2002 7:35 pm**

Here in England in this respect we have a lot more freedom. I remember saying the Lords Prayer in a mixed-religion Junior (Ages 7-11) school, but it was your choice whether you did or not. I believe there is a God but not in Jesus. I also do not pray. I may not be a Christian but I repect all those who are and also those from other religions. I wonder, if something similar happened here, would we not be allowed to sing the National Anthem? "God Save the Queen". My personal opinion is that no-one has the right to stop you practising your own believe wherever and whenever you like, so long as it does not cause harm or anything to anyone else. If a group of people want to pray together, why should a school stop them? As for the story of the beginning in the Bible, and of Evolution, my arguement is that they could both exist, as God's time is different to ours. A "day" in God's time could be millions of years to us, allowing for evolution to occur. Anyway, most religions have a God anyway, even if it's just a different name. I hope I didn't offend anyone with my thoughts on this subject, but this is what I believe, and the banning of prayer in schools should not have happened.