Pledge Found Unconstitutional

Pledge of Alllegiance found unconstitutional

In this case, the ruling appears to just be about the "Under God" part of the Pledge, inserted in the 1950's by Senators afraid of the godless Red Horde.

My oldest daughter is now in Kindergarten, and is being taught the Pledge of Allegiance. I'm sure it's including "Under God" because we live in that kind of Godless Red Horde-fearing community.

My beef isn't so much about her having to say "Under God," although I admit I usually abstained from saying that when I was a school girl, and I expect if she wants to she will abstain herself. Maybe she'll do Mommy proud and say, "Under Gods and Goddesses" although that could lead to violence or at least social pressure against her. (Maybe we could make it into a Religious Studies exercise, and every Pledge she'll invoke a different diety, some days saying, "under no god" as well) My bigger beef is that she is too YOUNG to figure that out for herself right now. My BIGGEST beef is her having to say it at all. If you actually pay attention to the words, that's a hefty promise you're making little kids make. Too big of a promise if you ask me. It's a big promise for an adult to consider and make. Does a grade-schooler really understand what pledging loyalty and devotion means? Or what the Republic means, for that matter?

If we raise our kids to be true to their word and keep their promises, doesn't making them make a promise every single day, one which they can't possibly understand the consequences of, hypocritical?

I brought this up to her the other day. I saw that all kindergartners were expected to be able to recite the PofA by the end of the school year, so they must be teaching it to them now. I asked her if she was learning it, and she said yes. No big surprise. I then told her that I don't mind her learning it, but it's a big promise, and I think it's too big of a promise for a little kid to make, so I don't expect her to say the Pledge, and if she doesn't, she won't get into any trouble at home and we'll defend her at school.

Well, the next day they were going over the PofA, and she told the teacher this. N said the teacher asked why, in a surprised if not offended voice (perhaps N was making the voice up too much). I now have to write a note saying I don't want my daughter to have to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

Which, I think, is fine. It's much easier than a Supreme Court battle, don't you think? I think memorizing it is fine, just like memorizing "The Village Smithy" is worthwhile in its own right. But don't make that promise, please. It's just too much to ask a little girl to do.

Frankly, I myself am not very loyal to our Republic right now, as its recent actions in the name of Liberty and Justice for All are downright nasty. One could argue that it's the leaders of the Republic doing this, not the Republic itself, but that's a fuzzy line since all those bombs are being dropped from airplanes with American flags on them. That same flag is on the arms of the uniforms on the guards at Abu Ghraib. That same flag sits in the Oval Office as our President sits by and lets tens of thousands of poor people in the Gulf states suffer because he either didn't care, or hired clueless lackies, or more likely both. Thanks goodness I don't have to put my hand on my heart and make a hollow promise every time I head into work.