While researching author Edward Bellamy's book, "Looking Backward" I came across a youtube video that asked the question: Should I say the pledge of allegiance after learning its history? I found myself writing a long, long, comment as to why I continue to recite the pledge of allegiance.
The Youtube video is worth a peek to learn about some of the issues surrounding the pledge; such as, it's creator Francis Bellamy, cousin to the author I was researching, who also created a salute for school children to perform while reciting the pledge. The salute, referred to as the "Bellamy Salute," looked very much like Hitler's German Nazi salute. As a matter of fact, the video states that Hitler got his "Hail, Hitler Salute idea after seeing the "Bellamy Salute."
Here are my comments on the video subject matter:
I continue to say the pledge of allegiance. I have an allegiance to my country just as I have to my family, my religion and even my favorite sports teams. None of those allegiances can cancel out the other, although you might find contradictions when comparing them. For instance, my football team pride's itself on physical and mental toughness, beating up on it's opponents and showing no mercy as it plays to win the game. The religious tenets I follow call for treating others as my brothers and sisters while submitting my faith to a higher power. Pride becomes a stumbling block when used in attaining faith. As for my country, I see allegiance to it as one where I might not be proud of everything in its past record, but I am proud to be one of the current inhabitants that call it home. Though as imperfect as all communities of peoples can be, our country's constitutional laws offer us inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as an ultimate goal. The part, "And to the Republic, for which it stands," is saying exactly what our flag symbolizes; Our Republic. So I'm not so concerned with who wrote the pledge or why it was written. I'm concerned with upholding my part today as a citizen of this great nation. I'm concerned with adding something of value to our republic. If we pick apart the links that make up a country, a family or even a religion, we are sure to find some past incidents or meanings that conflict with our conscience. Just as we as individuals are a work in progress, so is our country. And if anyone should choose not to recite the pledge of allegiance, I hope they're advocating positively for it's change, so that maybe their children can feel honor someday in reciting a country credo symbolizing a right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Advocating for change is another of those inalienable rights our democracy grants to its citizens; the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The Man Who Wrote The Pledge: Francis Bellamy
