How the Pledge of Allegiance use to be...

[Playinghardball]

God was not in the Pledge of Allegiance until around the 1940's. And indicating or making an assumption that those who are Atheists left God out of the Pledge is a rather sneaky way of making the assumption.

[SheilaT]

1. I was in first grade in Catholic school

when the "Under God" was added.

The nuns were really unhappy with that, as I recall.

I no longer say the pledge, since it's actually quite creepy if you think about it to be pledging allegiance to the Flag. Really?

[yellerpup]

2. The USA adopted this pledge in 1942.

In the McCarthy Era, the phrase "under God" was added in 1954. Nice poster!

[yesphan]

3. here's an intesting vid.

[liberal N proud]

4. The flag was saluted like this too...

The pledge of allegiance was originally written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a socialist magazine writer. When he wrote it for an children’s magazine, he also described a salute that he thought would be appropriate during its recital.

The pledge was aimed towards children, and the magazine also gave free flags away to schools, where the pledge was originally recited. The salute they were taught to give, with one stiff arm outstretched toward the flag, was deemed the “Bellamy salute” after its creator (who had gotten the idea from a salute that the Romans had done).



Above: The Bellamy Salute, before WWII In the early 1940s, it was noticed that the salute bore a resemblance to a certain other salute being used in Germany at the time (which was based off of the same original Roman salute). As a result, it was formally replaced by Congress with the now-customary hand-on-heart during the pledge.

http://forgottenhistoryblog.com/the-official-american-flag-salute-used-to-be-a-hitler-salute/

[reformist2]

5. It's propaganda with or without the word "God."

[DURHAM D]

6. It was added in 1954.

My father was President of the local school board and told the teachers they could add or not add it. He personally thought it was unconstitutional. For ball games and such he suggested a slight pause after "one nation" and leave it to the individuals. In my little town there was usually complete silence during the pause for the first few years.

For decades we teased him about just not understanding McCarthyism and crazy right wingers.

He died in 2010 still thinking/arguing it was unconstitutional. Me, when I say the pledge allegiance I still remain silent during the "under god" part. But now it is my personal tribute to my Dad and it always causes me to smile.

[marybourg]

7. Nice. I too keep silent during the 2 word addition,

but now I'll think of your father when I do it.

[nichomachus]

8. I remember it well

I was in Catholic school and the nuns were so giddy about it they were wetting themselves. Now, all those atheists would be forced to pray every time they said the pledge.

[genxlib]

9. I would love to know

I would love to know how many of the professed "real" Americans know this.

I would put money on the fact that less than half of the God-fearing church-going types have any clue about this factoid.

I would actually be surprised if it is more that 25%.

Double or nothing that almost all of them assume that the Pledge dates back to the late 1700's rather than the late 1800's.

Triple or nothing that their heads would explode if they found out about the Jefferson Bible.

[MineralMan]

10. I just omit the two words. I'm an atheist.

They're meaningless to me. I learned the old version in 1950, in kindergarten, and have just continued saying it that way. I get a dirty look now and then from someone. when I do, I just smile sweetly at the person.

[HopeHoops]

11. "under God" was added in 1954. I skip that line.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. That's the way I learned it and still say it.

I always skip over the "under god" part.

[ashling]

13. The one without GOD got us through 2 World Wars