This Day in History December 28,1945 Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance

various | 12/28/09 | various

[mdittmar]

Pledge of Allegiance

Following the chaplain's prayer, the presiding officer leads the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance. One Senate leader recently gave this vivid impression of the ritual's inspirational value. ”The American flag–transcendent, noble, still–commands our humility and binds us in the common project of serving the body politic.”

The American flag had become a standard fixture in the Senate Chamber by the 1930s, placed directly behind the presiding officer. A half-century later, as the Senate began televised coverage of its floor proceedings, the flag was moved to the presiding officer's right side so as not to appear to be bisecting that official's head on television screens. To balance the American flag, the Senate created a flag of its own–displaying the Senate seal on a field of dark blue–and placed it on the presiding officer's left.

Congress formally recognized the Pledge of Allegiance–first written in 1892–on December 28, 1945. In 1999, a New Hampshire resident contacted the office of Senator Robert Smith to inquire why the Senate did not follow the House, which had incorporated the Pledge into its proceedings 11 years earlier. Spurred by this inquiry, the Senate amended its standing rules on June 23, 1999, providing for the presiding officer to lead the body in the Pledge at the start of each daily session. President Pro Tempore Strom Thurmond inaugurated this tradition on the following day.

[mdittmar]

Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance

by Red Skelton

As a schoolboy, one of Red Skelton's teachers explained the words and meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance to his class. Skelton later wrote down, and eventually recorded, his recollection of this lecture. It is followed by an observation of his own.

I - - Me; an individual; a committee of one.

Pledge - - Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.

Allegiance - - My love and my devotion.

To the Flag - - Our standard; Old Glory ; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, Freedom is everybody's job.

United - - That means that we have all come together.

States - - Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country.

And to the Republic - - Republic--a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people; and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.

For which it stands

One Nation - - One Nation--meaning, so blessed by God.

Indivisible - - Incapable of being divided.

With Liberty - - Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one's own life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.

And Justice - - The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.

For All - - For All--which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.

And now, boys and girls, let me hear you recite the Pledge of Allegiance:

I pledge 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.

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance: Under God. Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?

Red Skelton

[Clint Williams]

That nation no longer exists.

America -- a great idea, didn't last.

[caper gal 1]

Beg to differ - that nation DOES still exist - it has just been lying dormant but has recently been awoken and will be difficult if not impossible to silence.

[slumber1]

The pledge was originally written by ‘Christian’ socialist Francis Bellamy looking for ways to promote the ideas of his cousin socialist author Edward Bellamy

It was promoted by a patriotic Christain businessman named James Bailey Upham who was looking for a way to sell US flags. Upham’s School Flag Movement really took off when he added the idea of having the kiddies recite the pledge in each classroom every day.

More info here> http://www.oldtimeislands.org/pledge/pledge.htm

[Positive]

Did Robert Byrd vote Yea or Nay on this rule?

[FrankR]

Ohmygosh...I’m two months OLDER than the Pledge of Allegiance.

[Copernicus]

Agreed.

It completely baffles me why more people do not recognize a pledge of allegiance to a FLAG is idolatry-pure and simple.

By comparison, the Presidential Oath of Office is to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.(not pledge allegiance to it.)

That is the REAL American Way.

Best regards,

[mdittmar]

Well,guess kiddies aren’t reciting the pledge in each classroom every day anymore.

[mdittmar]

Hell to get old,but we’re still hanging in there.

[mathurine]

To quote a currently influential senator, “I played gollegious to the flag of the unie’ed stays of a mercka an too the rrpubliccans fo’ wishit stans: one nation, unda Gaiea, wif libber tea and jush fish forrall.” “Suh, I reshpekly request my remarecls be stricken from the C-Span, I mean, for the wreck chord, I was exhausted and distracted, and not one bit drunkish when I made that pledge. Anyone who knows me would agree that there ish no more parrioptic pershun than me!”

[liberalism is suicide]

The libs would love for us to have pledge allegiance to the rag of the United Nations,One World under man,with slavery and injustice for all.