The Pledge was changed in 1954 to specifically cite "Under God" as part of a propaganda campaign against the "godless communists" - in spite of our Constitution and history of not enshrining a national religion. As a nation, we outgrew that "Red Scare" idiocy - mostly - yet the intentionally altered pledge remains...still in conflict with our very founding tenets. Isn't about time we fixed that?
Congress changed this once, in 1954,
specifically as part of the propaganda war against "godless communism." It's a longstanding,
still standing, violation of our founding national tenets and Constitution. It's also a crutch upon which the American Taliban leans, and which religious extremists within (and outside of) our nation use as part of their arsenal to beat down actual American values and undermine the true freedoms and liberties of our nation.
The bastardized pledge extends and prolongs a Cold War era legacy of distrust and lays a foundation upon which embedded propaganda - safely ensconced and wrapped in the flag - can continue to thrive, undermining our nation while enabling extremists to act in the name of their unholy delusions in faux piety while they advocate discrimination, racism, bullying, misogyny, genocide and war.
It's but one tool, but it affects all citizens - natural-born or immigrant - from the get-go; its influence is pervasive, subtle, and damning.
We should restore the original pledge, and cross off one more tool, one more symbol, from the myriad of elements within our society that helps the haters perpetuate their false myths and deadly, delusional nationalism.
There's nothing over the fold, 'cept comments...
This has been a random public service announcement
from a bird.