From childhood we are raised to take the “Pledge of Allegiance” in America, idolizing the fabric of a flag and the trodden ground on which we stand. It’s an indoctrination; all of course, in the name of God.
Other countries have their own “Pledges” and ceremonies surrounding them, some much more propagandizing than others, but regardless, the idea behind these pledges is a declaration of unbending loyalty.
I say allegiance of that sort is exactly what perpetuates wars, whether on the playground or in the real world of foreign policy and today’s word is riddled with self-professed “Patriots”, many of which have hateful and biased practices…of course also, all in the name of God.
My allegiance is to humanity and this place we call earth. Remember, “Peace” takes YOU too.
Initially, it meant freedom for all peoples. It is what this country is supposed to be and the ideology it was built on. In that respect, I am a patriot. I believe in what this country is supposed to stand for…freedom of religion. A lot of us have lost sight of that fact and believe it, instead, to mean over and above all else ‘Our Country’.
That is not the position I take. I’m a very peaceful person. I try to keep myself in peaceful environments at all times and that includes evading arguments that seem to be presented for no other reason than to create division, but in the spirit of the holiday, and in the spirit of the initial vision of the first leaders of this country, I wrote in response to a daily prompt and got caught up in a celebration during a time when they still believed in what this country represents, not where it may appear to be going.
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That Pledge of Allegiance is a reminder of the lives lost so that we could build a country free of taxation and regulation from a foreign shore as well as oppression against the expression of religion. A reminder that it takes blood, sweat and tears to maintain that freedom. A reminder that it takes the hard work of all of us, regardless of our religious affiliation or ancestral origin to keep this country strong and free for all differing opinions. A reminder of our common goal to respect the life of each of our citizens. A reminder that when the nation was created and the pledge designed, most citizens believed it was by God’s help we achieved our free status.
Our country is going through the seismic shift from a primarily Judeo-Christian basis to a system of belief that rejects religious thought and beliefs and centers on humans, their value and worth separate from any acknowledgement of a Creator. Any effort to make such a change will generate strong feelings from both sides. So is it surprising that the very phrase, “indivisible, under God” will bring strong reactions?
An idolization? Indoctrination? Not to my mind, but then, I’m one of those sees the flag as a symbol, not as an item of worship i itself.
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