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Congress Corrupted Bellamy's Pledge

             When writing The Pledge of Allegiance in 1891, Francis Bellamy did not include the words "Under God". For that reason, I think that Congress did not have the right to change the pledge in 1954. Do I believe it makes non believers feel that they are outsiders or that believers have a political upper-hand in out society? No.
             A recent court decision stated that the pledge as currently written is unconstitutional. I agree that it is unconstitutional because it is not our original pledge. It is very wrong that Congress decided to change a pledge written for our country. The Pledge of Allegiance should stay the way it was originally written. I feel that it is disrespectful to Mr. Bellamy to change his words. .
             The court ruled that the pledge makes non believers feel alienated in the political community and believers feel like they are insiders and favored members of the political community. To me, this is a very, very exaggerated view of what adding "under God" did to the pledge. The court ruling makes adding two words to be a much bigger deal than it should be. I do not feel that anyone should be alienated or favored by the phrase being added. The reasoning behind the ruling, to me, is invalid.
             A good reasoning for the ruling would be that Congress had no right to change, or add, words into another man's piece of work. What gave them the power to change something so important to out nation?.
             Francis Bellamy's original pledge should still be out pledge today. It should not contain the words "under God". Not because it makes people feel isolated or privileged, but because it is an infringement on a man's original work. The author of our Pledge of Allegiance was not Congress, it was Francis Bellamy!.
            


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1. Our Nation is not under God

In 1892, Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy constructed and wrote the original pledge which read as follows: I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. He considered placing the word, "equality,"" in his pledge however, the states superintendents of education were against equality for women and African Americans. In 1954, after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, Congress added the words "Under God,"" to the pledge. Bellamy's granddaughter protested the change, stating that Bellamy was pressured to l...

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2. Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy

If I were to be placed in a world like the one described in Bellamy's book my life would be completely different. ... In Bellamy's world there really is no competition so that would change my school life drastically. ... If I grew up in Bellamy's world I think my life would be mostly structured around my family. ... I think that it would be a pretty boring life in the world that Bellamy describes. ... In Bellamy's society they have eliminated all things that make people want to break the law. ...

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3. Looking backward

The government was being run by corrupt politicians that were in office to benefit their own needs. ... In the novel, Looking Backward, by Edward Bellamy, Bellamy addresses issues of the late19th century by creating and transforming an utopian society based on radical egalitarianism. ... However, in a utopia, the government is not corrupt or greedy. ... The idea of a corrupted government has only a historical significance. ... Bellamy also makes a fascinating prediction about the 21st century. ...

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4. Should Americans be forced to stand for the Pledge?

Because American stands for freedom, we cannot force people to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and The National Anthem, but we can try to teach them the privileges of living in America. ... One symbol of America is "The Pledge of Allegiance." Written by Frances Bellamy on September 8, 1882 for school students to recite on Columbus Day. ... This again is an American freedom of choice; it is also my choice; "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." ...

  • Word Count: 924
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5. Looking Backwards by Edward Bellamy

In Looking Backward, the writer Edward Bellamy lays out the blueprint of his idea of the utopian world. ... Several themes were brought by Bellamy in his novel which were an epitome of the 20th century. ... In the novel, the narrator, Julian West wakes up in his native Boston after a hundred years in the year 2000 (Bellamy 3). ... " (Bellamy 43). ... " (Bellamy 45). ...

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6. Looking Backward

Bellamy believes that he has a vision, a dream. ... Bellamy saw this issue of social inequality as the largest issue facing this nineteenth century society. ... Now as I imagine this individuality enclosed within this society in which Bellamy lives, it seems almost impossible. ... This is why Bellamy was so hopeful about the future. ... Yet in Bellamy's utopia something must be missing. ...

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7. Patriotism

In 1892, Francis Bellamy wrote our Pledge of Allegiance. Now, every morning we recite this pledge together with the whole school with our right hand on our heart facing the American flag. This pledge along with our flag gives us an enormous sense of freedom and patriotism, and sometimes I wonder what our lives would be like without those things. ... I am glad we recite the pledge everyday. ... The Pledge of Allegiance has been around a long time, but its words are still strong. ...

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8. Looking Backward

Bellamy expresses this idea by writing about an industrial army. ... "The worker is not a citizen because he works, but works because he is a citizen"(Bellamy p. 37). ... In Bellamy's utopia, money is eliminated. ... Like Bellamy, he was for government regulation over large businesses. ... I believe that Bellamy is right and I praise him for this novel. ...

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9. Under God

Seven years before the Pledge was instituted in the classroom. ... So in that case the entire Pledge would be void. In 1956 Congress "retired- our national motto, E Pluribus Unum, which is Latin for "Out Of Many, One,"" This had been suggested by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. ... The United States Congress, the United States, and the President of the United States joined in this motion, which was approved by a District Court judge. ... But after that day the national anthem and the pledge had a whole new meaning. ...

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