Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Thoughts on Flag Day and The Pledge of Allegiance


                                                                                



I pledge allegiance….


      Upon my life and honor, I promise to be loyal, to defend her and to seek only her best.


to the flag of the United States of America…


     not the cotton batting or threads of which it’s made, but to the ideas, ideals, rights and the great country it represents.  It is what it represents that deserves this pledge.


And to the republic for which it stands….


     Not a monarchy, not a democracy, but a representative republic.  The first nation in the history of the world founded upon the principles “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”, and to the Constitution and Bill of Rights created to insure, protect and guarantee those rights.  Being a government “of the people, by the people and for the people”, she’s not perfect, but she is worthy of my allegiance and defense.


One Nation….


     What makes and keeps millions of people, with different backgrounds and experiences, one?  It is our common belief in the ideals of our founding fathers; those rights given to us by our Creator.  It is an understanding, even by those of other religions, that our founding principles are based in Judeo-Christian values and in the great history of western civilization, such as the Magna Carta and the rule of law and capitalism to give a few examples.  It is a common language, English.  It is a distinctly American culture.


Under God….


     It is the recognition that our rights come not from 1776, but are rights given us by our Creator, and to whom we rely for all things good.


Indivisible…


     Like many families, Americans are always arguing and struggling for what each deems to be the best in their eyes, but as demonstrated in our own Civil War, we must remember, we are one.  However, we must cultivate that oneness by teaching about, and adherence to, our founding principles, the Constitution and our unique history and culture.


With liberty and justice for all…


      It is freedom for each and every person to live their life and pursue happiness while not impeding on the rights of any other citizen.  It is equal treatment under the law.  It is not a guarantee of equal results or even equal happiness, because to attempt to guarantee that would require that some citizen’s rights be impinged.  

     

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