Pledge of allegiance origins
[email protected]
http://www.aclu.org/news/move/pledgeorigin.html
Here is the link for anyone interested in learning the truth about the pledge.
And here is an excerpt from that site:
In 1891, Upham had the idea of using the celebration of the 400th anniversary
of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America to promote the use of the flag
in the public schools. The same year, the magazine hired Daniel Ford's
radical young friend, Baptist minister, Nationalist, and Christian Socialist
leader, Francis Bellamy, to help Upham in his public relations work. Bellamy
was the first cousin of the famous American socialist, Edward Bellamy. Edward
Bellamy's futuristic novel, "Looking Backward", published in 1888, described
a utopian Boston in the year 2000. The book spawned an elitist socialist
movement in Boston known as "Nationalism," whose members wanted the federal
government to national most of the American economy. Francis Bellamy was a
member of this movement and a vice president of its auxiliary group, the
Society of Christian Socialists 2. He was a baptist minister and he lectured
and preached on the virtues of socialism and the evils of capitalism. He gave
a speech on "Jesus the Socialist" and a series of sermons on "The Socialism
of the Primitive Church." In 1891, he was forced to resign from his Boston
church, the Bethany Baptist church, because of his socialist activities. He
then joined the staff of the Youths' Companion3.
By February 1892, Francis Bellamy and Upham had lined up the National
Education Association to support the Youths' Companion as a sponsor of the
national public schools' observance of Columbus Day along with the use of the
American flag. By June 29, Bellamy and Upham had arranged for Congress and
President Benjamin Harrison to announce a national proclamation making the
public school flag ceremony the center of the national Columbus Day
celebrations for 18924.
Bellamy, under the supervision of Upham, wrote the program for this
celebration, including its flag salute, the Pledge of Allegiance. His version
was,
"I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands --
one nation indivisible -- with liberty and justice for all."
This program and its pledge appeared in the September 8 issue of Youths'
Companion5. He considered putting the words "fraternity" and "equality" in
the Pledge but decided they were too radical and controversial for public
schools6.
The original Pledge was recited while giving a stiff, uplifted right hand
salute, criticized and discontinued during WWII. The words "my flag" were
changed to "the flag of the United States of America" because it was feared
that the children of immigrants might confuse "my flag" for the flag of their
homeland. The phrase, "Under God," was added by Congress and President
Eisenhower in 1954 at the urging of the Knights of Columbus7.
The American Legion's constitution includes the following goal: "To foster
and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism." One of its major standing
committees was the "Americanism Commission" and its subsidiary, the "Counter
Subversive Activities Committee." To the fear of immigrants, it added the
fear of communism8.
Over the years the Legion has worked closely with the NEA and with the U.S.
Office of Education. The Legion insisted on "one hundred percent" Americanism
in public school courses in American history, civics, geography and English.
The Pledge was a part of this Americanism campaign9 and, in 1950, the Legion
adopted the Pledge as an official part of its own ritual10.
In 1922, the Ku Klux Klan, which also had adopted the "one hundred percent
Americanism" theme along with the flag ceremonies and the Pledge, became a
political power in the state of Oregon and arranged for legislation to be
passes requiring all Catholic children to attend public schools. The U.S.
Supreme Court later overturned this legislation11.
Perhaps a team of social scientists and historians could explain why over the
last century the Pledge of Allegiance has become a major centerpiece in
American patriotism programs. A pledge or loyalty oath for children was not
built around the Declaration of Independence -- "We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal..." Or the Gettysburg address --
"a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all
men are created equal..."
Apparently, over the last century, Americans have been uncomfortable with the
word "equality" as a patriotic theme. In 1992 the nation will begin its
second century with the Pledge of Allegiance. Perhaps the time has come to
see that this allegiance should be to the U.S. constitution and not to a
piece of cloth.
Here is the link for anyone interested in learning the truth about the pledge.
And here is an excerpt from that site:
In 1891, Upham had the idea of using the celebration of the 400th anniversary
of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America to promote the use of the flag
in the public schools. The same year, the magazine hired Daniel Ford's
radical young friend, Baptist minister, Nationalist, and Christian Socialist
leader, Francis Bellamy, to help Upham in his public relations work. Bellamy
was the first cousin of the famous American socialist, Edward Bellamy. Edward
Bellamy's futuristic novel, "Looking Backward", published in 1888, described
a utopian Boston in the year 2000. The book spawned an elitist socialist
movement in Boston known as "Nationalism," whose members wanted the federal
government to national most of the American economy. Francis Bellamy was a
member of this movement and a vice president of its auxiliary group, the
Society of Christian Socialists 2. He was a baptist minister and he lectured
and preached on the virtues of socialism and the evils of capitalism. He gave
a speech on "Jesus the Socialist" and a series of sermons on "The Socialism
of the Primitive Church." In 1891, he was forced to resign from his Boston
church, the Bethany Baptist church, because of his socialist activities. He
then joined the staff of the Youths' Companion3.
By February 1892, Francis Bellamy and Upham had lined up the National
Education Association to support the Youths' Companion as a sponsor of the
national public schools' observance of Columbus Day along with the use of the
American flag. By June 29, Bellamy and Upham had arranged for Congress and
President Benjamin Harrison to announce a national proclamation making the
public school flag ceremony the center of the national Columbus Day
celebrations for 18924.
Bellamy, under the supervision of Upham, wrote the program for this
celebration, including its flag salute, the Pledge of Allegiance. His version
was,
"I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands --
one nation indivisible -- with liberty and justice for all."
This program and its pledge appeared in the September 8 issue of Youths'
Companion5. He considered putting the words "fraternity" and "equality" in
the Pledge but decided they were too radical and controversial for public
schools6.
The original Pledge was recited while giving a stiff, uplifted right hand
salute, criticized and discontinued during WWII. The words "my flag" were
changed to "the flag of the United States of America" because it was feared
that the children of immigrants might confuse "my flag" for the flag of their
homeland. The phrase, "Under God," was added by Congress and President
Eisenhower in 1954 at the urging of the Knights of Columbus7.
The American Legion's constitution includes the following goal: "To foster
and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism." One of its major standing
committees was the "Americanism Commission" and its subsidiary, the "Counter
Subversive Activities Committee." To the fear of immigrants, it added the
fear of communism8.
Over the years the Legion has worked closely with the NEA and with the U.S.
Office of Education. The Legion insisted on "one hundred percent" Americanism
in public school courses in American history, civics, geography and English.
The Pledge was a part of this Americanism campaign9 and, in 1950, the Legion
adopted the Pledge as an official part of its own ritual10.
In 1922, the Ku Klux Klan, which also had adopted the "one hundred percent
Americanism" theme along with the flag ceremonies and the Pledge, became a
political power in the state of Oregon and arranged for legislation to be
passes requiring all Catholic children to attend public schools. The U.S.
Supreme Court later overturned this legislation11.
Perhaps a team of social scientists and historians could explain why over the
last century the Pledge of Allegiance has become a major centerpiece in
American patriotism programs. A pledge or loyalty oath for children was not
built around the Declaration of Independence -- "We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal..." Or the Gettysburg address --
"a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all
men are created equal..."
Apparently, over the last century, Americans have been uncomfortable with the
word "equality" as a patriotic theme. In 1992 the nation will begin its
second century with the Pledge of Allegiance. Perhaps the time has come to
see that this allegiance should be to the U.S. constitution and not to a
piece of cloth.
[email protected]
Ooooh, thanks Ren. I always get my Baptist Christian Socialist utopian
novelists mixed up...
Deb L
novelists mixed up...
Deb L
Jeff & Kate Kerr
This has been my favorite pledge for a few years now:
I pledge allegiance to the earth, one planet, many gods, and to the
universe in which she spins.
It's the one my kids are learning.
Kate
I pledge allegiance to the earth, one planet, many gods, and to the
universe in which she spins.
It's the one my kids are learning.
Kate
Shyrley
On 4 Sep 02, at 22:26, ddzimlew@... wrote:
Shyrley
"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."
> Ooooh, thanks Ren. I always get my Baptist Christian SocialistSorta thing that could happen to anybody really.....
> utopian novelists mixed up...
>
> Deb L
>
Shyrley
"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/5/02 3:47:10 PM Central Daylight Time,
windystreet@... writes:
~Nancy
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
windystreet@... writes:
> This has been my favorite pledge for a few years now:That is beautiful Kate.
>
> I pledge allegiance to the earth, one planet, many gods, and to the
> universe in which she spins.
>
> It's the one my kids are learning.
>
> Kate
~Nancy
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jeff & Kate Kerr
Kate wrote: This has been my favorite pledge for a few years
now:
I pledge allegiance to the earth, one planet, many gods, and to the
universe in which she spins.
I don't remember the origins of this but we use this for our grace at
meals: I pledge allegiance to
the world, to cherish every living thing, to care for earth and sea and
air, with peace and freedom
everywhere.
Namaste, crisGet
Ooh, I like that one too, I'll add it to our wall at home along with all
the other sayings I like.
Thanks,
Kate
now:
I pledge allegiance to the earth, one planet, many gods, and to the
universe in which she spins.
I don't remember the origins of this but we use this for our grace at
meals: I pledge allegiance to
the world, to cherish every living thing, to care for earth and sea and
air, with peace and freedom
everywhere.
Namaste, crisGet
Ooh, I like that one too, I'll add it to our wall at home along with all
the other sayings I like.
Thanks,
Kate