Three words can change America.
As Obama takes the Oath of Office, perhaps it behooves us all to take an oath, a pledge, a New Pledge for 2009.
I pledge allegiance to the flag Constitution
Of the United States of America
And to the Republic for which which on it stands
One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
This is what we all -- you and I and Obama and each schoolchild -- need to reaffirm daily by our pledge, as will be elaborated on below.
A Request: Some of you may flame me for the "Under God" part. I know that it was added lately, and why. Don't like it? Leave it out. Others will complain about "indivisible." Historically, secession has not worked well, so I'd prefer not to argue it now. You may rightfully say that "with liberty and justice for all" is honored more in the breaching, than in the observing, and that this phrase is merely something to strive for, not a condition that exists. "Yes," I reply. "And all the more reason to leave it in, to remind us of that."
And here is a note and an image - for trolls, visiting wingers, traditionalists, and anyone else, below the fold...
This new pledge is in no way meant to denigrate our nation's flag.
The flag is a symbol of our country, a beautiful, powerful, symbol.
But only a symbol.
In the Old Pledge we say:
"And to the Republic, for which (meaning the Republic) it (meaning the flag) stands."
The flag is a symbol.
A flag "stands for" a nation.
And every nation has a flag.
But the Constitution of the United States of America is what makes the United States different from all other nations.
And this New Pledge states:
"And to the Republic, which (meaning the Republic) on it (meaning the Constitution) stands.
For "it" is the Constitution which provides the framework, the structure, the bedrock on which we, as a Republic, stand.
Every nation has a flag.
Only the United States of America has the Constitution.
Let us love and revere and protect it as the Marines of Iwo Jima, as the New York City Firefighters of 9/11, showed their love and respect for our flag.
Let us recognize that all the heroes and heroines who have fought, in or out of uniform, and died for our nation...died not for the flag -- or not only for the flag -- but for the
Constitution, and for the Republic which on it stands.