THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Q: Why did I leave out the words under God in the pledge of allegiance as printed at the end of "The Supreme Law of the Land" essay?

A: During my years in school from 1941 through 1953, the words under God were never recited as a part of the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I continue to repeat the pledge today just as I did then.

The pledge of allegiance was not drafted by the Founding Fathers; it originated in 1892. In 1954 the Congress of the United States added the words under God to the pledge, and the legislation was signed by President Dwight David Eisenhower. The impetus for adding the words under God to the pledge was politics.

Today, the words under God are repeated by Christians, Jews and Muslims say "under God indivisible," while atheists and some other citizens, simply omit them. Of course, Jehovah's Witnesses refuse any such pledge; but, we are Americans all. And as long as the flag of the United States of America freely flies over its territory, every American can believe whatever he or she chooses about God. I thank the Founding Fathers for the USA.

The joint resolution (H.J. Res. 243) was approved on June 14, 1954, and reads as follows:

Public Law 396

To amend the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 7 of the joint resolution entitled "Joint resolution to codify and emphasize existing rules and customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag of the United States of America," approved June 22, 1942, as amended (36 U.S.C., sec. 172), is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 7. The following is designated as the pledge of allegiance to the flag: "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."

In other words, what began as a resolution subsequently became a public law. You can locate it in U.S. Statutes at Large, Vol. 68, Part 1, page 249, 83 Congress, 1954, second session. A public law is the law of the land: "a legislative enactment affecting the public at large" (Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary); "also called a public act, public statute, a law or statute of a general character that applies to the people of a whole state or nation" (The Random House Dictionary). Thus, Congress, with arrogance and flagrant disrespect, established "religion" by law, in direct repudiation and obvious violation of the Establishment Clause.

What part of "no law" does the Congress and the United States Supreme Court not understand?