No, it sure does not.
I have previously read this story of how and who wrote the original Pledge of Allegiance. It doesn't impress me. It's irrelevant. Last year a town council member in my small hometown in the CO Rockies made a stink about "being forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance" and that "it was a religious test to be forced to say 'Under God.'" I wrote two letters to the editor explaining the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance and why this putz was wrong but neither letter was ever published. I sent copies to the mayor, all of the other council men/women and the putz.
It is interesting that you hold up the personality and character of the author of the PofA as having some validating/invalidating bearing on the pledge itself while, at the same time, you are asking us here to sign on to your pledge on the merits of its literary intent alone. With a complete and total lack of knowledge of the personality/s and character/s of it's author/s.
I think you might benefit from reading my explanation/defense of "under God" in the PofA.
Especially if you want people to sign a pledge that, so far, states 'conservative principles' as its aim.
FRegards, TigersEye
So have I and you are exactly right. It's irrelevant. What is relevant is what we are thinking when we recite it, extending thanks to the K of C who put it in perspective.
Your letters to the ed. are remarkable, TI. Keepers for distribution. I think you made your point in fine style and you logic was impeccable. But then, I'm not the mayor. ;>
Please see the firt part of the reply to Alamo-Girl. Hitler organized Nazi youths into the Hitler Youth Corps. Whether its history or mytholgy, they paraded and parroted goose-stepping storm troopers. Some reportedly served as informants to identify Jews and other "enemies of the state". Lenin and Mao formed similar youth organization. These are nothing more than propaganda and indoctrination methods for budding socialists, where people are trained to react based on emotions tied to patriotism in a warped sort of way (my country is my country, right or wrong). The idea is to short circuit the thought process. If people thought through what they were being asked to do, many would have resisted or even rejected it completely.