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The choice is ours

When I was a pre-teen back in the 1950s, we began every school day with the Pledge of Allegiance. Any veteran who has been stationed on a military base can recall without hesitation what we did when we heard the word colors blaring over the loudspeakers. We stopped in our tracks, faced the flag of The United States of America, snapped to attention and saluted. That occurred twice daily, at the raising and lowering of the flag.

The Pledge of Allegiance has an interesting history that I would guess many people don’t know. The first version was introduced in 1887 by civil war veteran Col. George Balch. He wanted new immigrants to understand the importance of their entry into this great country of ours. In August of 1892, Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and Christian Socialist, wanted to expand Balch’s’ version of the pledge to make it close to what we say today. It was first published in the Youths’ Companion Magazine on September 8, 1892.

Over the years the pledge has under gone a few minor changes, with the final revision made on June 14, 1954, when the words “under God” were added after intense lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization.

It’s interesting to note that forty-seven states require the pledge to be recited in public schools, with some allowing students and staff to opt-out. When Congress convenes on the first day, it begins with an opening prayer and the pledge of allegiance.

I find myself wondering, with all the divisiveness in our country, how many of our representatives in Congress, or how many people in our country for that matter, ever give any thought to the words in our pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the UNITED States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, under GOD, INDIVISIBLE, with liberty and justice for ALL.

It seems to me that so many people in our beloved country only want to pledge allegiance to one person in the divided states of America, and to the chaos for which he stands. One nation under his thumb with liberty and justice for very few.

My question is, where does our true allegiance lie? The choice is ours.

God bless America
Bob Chammings
Carlton, Minnesota