Pledge Allegiance To the Flag
In 1892, 1923, 1924 and 1954 the American
people demonstrated enough concern about the
actual words in the Pledge to make some necessary
changes. Today there may be a tendency among many
Americans to recite "by rote" with
little thought for the words themselves. I ask
you now to examine these 31 words a little more
thoroughly.
|
| I Pledge
Allegiance |
I Promise to be
faithful and true (Promise my loyalty) |
| to the
flag |
to the emblem that
stands for and represents |
| of the
United States |
all 50 states, each
of them individual, and individually represented
on the flag
|
| of America |
yet formed into a
UNION of one Nation. |
| and to the
Republic |
And I also pledge my
loyalty to the Government that is itself a
Republic, a form of government where the PEOPLE
are sovereign, |
| for which
it stands, |
this government also
being represented by the Flag to which I promise
loyalty. |
| one Nation
under God, |
These 50 individual
states are united as a single Republic under the
Divine providence of God, "our most powerful
resource" (according to the words of
President Eisenhower) |
| Indivisible, |
and can not be
separated. (This part of the original version of
the pledge was written just 50 years after the
beginning of the Civil War and demonstrates the
unity sought in the years after that divisive
period in our history) |
| with
Liberty |
The people of this
Nation being afforded the freedom to pursue
"life, liberty, and happiness", |
| and
Justice |
And each person
entitled to be treated justly, fairly, and
according to proper law and principle, |
| for All. |
And these principles afforded to
EVERY AMERICAN, regardless of race, religion,
color, creed, or any other criteria. Just as the
flag represents 50 individual states that can not
be divided or separated, this Nation represents
millions of people who can not be separated or
divided. |
Thus it is that when you Pledge Allegiance to the
United States Flag,
You:
*Promise
your loyalty to the Flag itself.
*Promise
your loyalty to your own and the other 49 States.
*Promise
your loyalty to the Government that unites us all,
*Recognizing
that we are ONE Nation under God,
*That
we can not or should not be divided or alone,
*And
understanding the right to Liberty and Justice belongs to
ALL of us.
[The
Declaration of Independence] [The American's Creed] [Pledge of Allegiance] [The
Star-Spangled Banner]
[Francis
Scott Key] [The
Liberty Bell]
[The
Great Seal of the U.S.]
[Sept.
11, 2001] [ByFaithOnly] [Home]
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