"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."
Originally composed by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and then formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942, we all grew up reciting it in school. It was about third grade before we realized it didn't say 'invisible'. It seems that somewhere along the way we have lost the allegiance portion.
There seems to be factions in our culture bent on defying "indivisible". There seems to be a tide towards division and separation:
Rich vs. Poor
White vs. Black
North vs. South
Gay vs. Straight
Elite vs. Common
Washington vs. States
Politicians vs. Americans
Christian vs. Non-Christian
Socialists vs. Conservatives
Immigrants vs. Natural citizens
These groups have always been a part of our society. Diversity is truly one of the attributes that makes America so great. The difference is, for the last 300 years we have been the best in the world at putting our differences aside and rallying together for the good of the nation. We have not allowed our differences to defy our allegiance. We have had our struggles to overcome in these areas but part of our identity has always been to strive for the good of the nation.
When national leaders, media, rebel rousers, and academia are spewing and perpetuating anti-America rhetoric bent on exacerbating tensions between all groups, it leads to an overall loss of national moral. In a time of ISIS, Iran, North Korea, Putin, and cartels is it good for us to lose our sense of nationalism? Many in our nation seem to think so. I vehemently disagree.
I think it's time to start back saying the pledge and teaching what it means or there will be liberty and justice for none. In the words of John Dickinson in his revolutionary war song The Liberty Song first published in the Boston Gazette in July 1768:
“Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall!”
