The Supreme Court will rule soon on the constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. The controversy surrounding this decision is not surprising, considering the Pledge’s 112 year history. When Francis Bellamy wrote the Pledge in the 1890s, he made no reference to “God”. However, being a socialist and progressive, he did include the word “equality” -- as in, “one nation, with liberty, justice, and EQUALITY for all”. Because many “patriotic” Americans of that era opposed the concept of “equality for all” (due to the fact that it implied an establishment of full political and economic rights for non-whites and women), Bellamy reluctantly removed “equality” from his Pledge. In 2004, people who believe in the sanctity of the Pledge of Allegiance should be aware that it was debated, edited, compromised, and unfaithful to many of America’s values from its inception.

The Pledge was altered again in the early 1920s, at the height of the mass emigrations from Eastern Europe. The original wording, “I pledge allegiance to my flag…” was changed to, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America”. This was done, in part, to make sure that the new immigrants would not confuse where their national loyalty should lie. The phrase, “under God” wasn’t inserted until the 1950s, during our nation’s paranoid reaction to communism -- apparently in an attempt to convince ourselves (and our children) that, unlike the Russians, we had God on our side.

I was in grade school during the ‘50s, and I could barely figure out long division, let alone understand what “pledging allegiance” meant. We were told to put our hands over our hearts, face the flag, and “Pledge”. None of us asked why, but all of us wondered: “What is the purpose of this daily ritual?” Although students are no longer compelled to say it, I believe most States still require the school day to begin with this ceremony. Why?

Are we Americans -- citizens of what is supposedly the best and most free nation ever on earth -- so insecure about the nature and value of our system, and so worried about the depth of loyalty it will elicit, that we need to brainwash our children to get them to believe in it? Is it not the greatest of ironies that our free and pluralistic society needs to resort to such indoctrination? How is this daily, coercive, rote recitation of a loyalty oath to the State, any different from what the Nazis, Soviets, Taliban, or Saddam Hussein did to their children?

Forget the question of whether “under God” should be in the pledge. Let’s ask ourselves why we want our 6-16 year olds to pledge to anything at all. Are they old enough to make such a commitment? We don’t let them drive until they are 16, or vote until 18, but we expect them to swear an oath of patriotism at age 6? Originally, the Pledge was written to remind people – who were only a generation removed from the Civil War -- that this nation was One and Indivisible. It was intended as an internal promise among US citizens to keep the nation whole, free, and just. Subsequently, it became a vow for immigrants to attest to their new loyalty. And during World War II, and the Cold War it was a promise to remain true to our ideals in a frightening, nuclear world. All these times had their needs, and the pledge had emotional value, but was it ever intended as propaganda for our children? If it was, should it still be?

Today the pledge may still have value, but in what way and for whom? Personally, I see the inclusion of a deity in the Pledge as a wedge – it not only pushes Americans from each other, it sets us against the pluralistic ideals that we hope to convey to the rest of the world. In other words, continuing to claim that God is on our side makes us no different, in that regard, than people like Osama bin Laden. But whatever form the “Pledge of Allegiance” ultimately takes, if it is to be an honest oath, it must be recited sincerely and freely -- without peer pressure or coercion of any kind – and it should only be recited by those who are old enough and mature enough to fully comprehend its meaning, and who can fully accept responsibility for their words and actions.

Let’s grow up America, and have some confidence and trust in the Freedoms which we purport to care so much about and defend so strongly. Yes, let’s teach the Values and Ideals of our great country to our children (and the rest of the world), but let’s do it by example -- not by daily, fascistic indoctrination.