The founding fathers of this great nation knew that there would be times when we would need inspiration and words that would bring courage to the young and old. It is also one of a few points of inspiration that is mixed in everything that is taught in our home school. One of the many meanings that the Pledge of Allegiance has meant for me is inspiration to loyalty and courage, even considering that it was not conceived until 1892. Formally recognized by Congress in 1942, that's enough history for me. It is also a viewpoint that I teach at our home school, and one that occasionally get's the teenagers in heated discussions with public school teens as to why we should say the pledge everyday. Let's look at the word pledge, which is what our home school did as an exercise in history and social science. Pledge is a solemn binding promise to do something, or a solemn binding pledge to give something. In the Pledge of Allegiance we are each time making a solemn binding promise to give allegiance to the outstanding symbol of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in this country. This is the one country in the world where you are given the choice to make a promise to live good (life), live freely (liberty) and live to the best of your ability with the opportunities available (pursuit of happiness). Our children need to be reminded that choice is available and there are people in this country willing to help you keep those promises. This is a reminder to our children that we promise loyalty to the United States, 'a nation under God'. This portion of the pledge is where the real battle has taken place, as those who oppose saying 'under God' in school say it's not a separation of church and state. Whether you are standing in a court house, police station, capitol building, church, synagoge, temple I have yet seen anyone outrun God or able to evade his presence. So the whole separation of church and state is hinged not on what words are said, but the prevention of one religion becoming 'the' state supported religion or the state banning all religions. There are over 200 options of abuse of power that are trying to be prevented by that particular section of law and those who are worried by the words 'under god' probably don't even know one of them. Our children need to know and respect the fact that they are living in a country where 'under God' means something and that right now there are thousands of men and women willing to die for those words. This country's history is tempered with the brave sacrifices of men and women living and dying for their loyalty to the United States. The sacrifices of the living are when they take the time to be in law enforcement, healthcare, anything that helps make this great country run free from day to day. And we should not let them live or die in vain. |
