"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."
Are those not awesome thought-provoking words? When I look at the flag of the United States of America (my flag) and recite these words, I feel at peace and it makes me smile. Yes, I know that sounds sappy and a little over the top, but please keep reading and I will try to explain why the Pledge of Allegiance makes me feel that way.
I recited these words every day when I went to school as a child. Attending school in the late 1950s and 60s, saying the Pledge was not only a way to start the school day, but a reminder that we lived in the greatest country in the world. Back then, the United States was in the midst of "the Cold War" and learning what to do during a bomb drill was as common as learning what to do during a tornado or fire drill. Some people even built bomb shelters in their back yards. It was a scary time for many of us. The threat of the United States being hit by a nuclear bomb was a real fear for many people. Saying the Pledge at school or at community meetings helped us to feel connected to each other both in our individual communities and throughout our nation. It was also a way for us to express our love for our country and our gratitude for being a citizen of the United States.
After looking up definitions for some of the key words in the Pledge, here is a different, albeit longer, way to say it. "I vow to be loyal to the flag of the United States of America and to the country it represents which is governed by elected officials, not royalty. All of the different states which are included in the United States of America make up one entire nation. We cannot be divided or broken apart; a lesson we learned from the Civil War. Our citizens all have the ability to act and speak freely without fear of being censored and we can all have the expectation that our nation's laws will be used to fairly judge people accused of committing crimes and punished accordingly. The United States of America was founded on the idea that we as citizens can choose to practice (or not) the religion of our choosing. Therefore, we are one nation under God."
Don't you agree that the Pledge which was written by Frank Bellamy in 1892 and adopted by Congress in 1942 is much more concise and memorable than what I just wrote? It saddens me because so many people these days think the United States is a horrible country. It is true, America is not perfect, but then who among us is? In my opinion, part of what makes the United States of America so great is our Constitution. That document sets forth the rules that we as a nation are to be governed by and how we are to be governed. The best part of the Constitution is that it can be amended if needed as new situations arise. For me, the most important part of what makes the United States a great country is the people. In general, the citizens of the United States have compassion and they care about the welfare of their neighbors. They want what is best for their families and strive to achieve their personal dreams. That is what is so great about America.....we are allowed to dream and, if willing to put forth the effort needed, we can achieve that dream. That is why the Pledge of Allegiance is important. By reciting it in schools and at community meetings, we are creating a feeling of unity among our friends and neighbors in a common cause....showing others here and around the world that we love the country we live in...that we are thankful for the privileges we have....and that we will always remain united. We are the United States of America.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag"
