I wrote this today in reflection. I don’t believe it my right to copyright The Pledge of Allegiance in any modification, but I did modify it while looking at the history of it. My reasoning can be, yet it is more important to I to understand the ideals of one thing and where we are in others. A thought process of where we connect and at least knowing where it came from.
“I pledge allegiance
to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the ideals
for which it stands,
one Nation
built from Many,
indivisible,
with liberty
and justice
for all.”,
Section 4 of the Flag Code states:
should be rendered by standing (not applicable for all) at attention facing the flag with the right hand (not applicable for all) over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress (questions on why the difference of
removing headdresses between uniform/religious) with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart (not applicable for all). Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.”
‘Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag’
-in this regard, as long as one is facing the flag, it is only required of military to salute. Otherwise the personal reflection of what a country is or could be is the proper reasoning for having anyone look at a flag of any nation in respect or in introduction to ideas and principles. As not everyone is afforded a chance to stand or use their right hand, it is important that looking at the flag in reflection or aspiration is the important aspect of why we are made to look at it in the first place. Even in darkness of sight, a reflection of words brings the same thought of concept. Although, this is more of those not of uniform, it is the aspiration of united fronts and those all on the same plane that should be remembered to bring together and not divide the foundations of which is personal and collective.
The two changes made are done from completely different purposes in the spirit of revision since the initial phrase was coined in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, it was modified by Eisenhower in 1954 by the rejection of the daughter of Bellamy. (It was said to be added due to Communist threats of the time.)
The first change is to the word Republic to the word ‘Ideals’.
This is done so because The United States of America is not a Republic. It is a hybrid Democratic Republic. To change the word is done so to not show political bias which divides the country while acknowledging the original term as incorrect. Proving a point on bias and inaccuracy the word could not be changed to ‘the Democracy’ for which we stand for the same reasons and also being incorrect to what is America. A division of those two words exist knowing we are both a Republic and a Democracy. Division is the exact opposite of the intention of The Pledge of Allegience and the word does that internally which then gets challenged when placed against other flags of the world as not being a United Front or representation constantly in battle with itself. A change to the word ‘ideals’ seem more applicable as it applies to the idea of which the country was founded on and where it could go in growth and in aspirations. A look forward for the country to strive for our best selves individually, communially and collectively as a country. All connections to the fundamental aspects of The United States and the principles that joined 13 colonies originally to where we are now with 50 states and the 13 stripes knowing there has been several revisions to the flag since it’s original creation and assumed it could continue to change in future aspects of participation of the entity of The United States of America.
The second edit, the removal of the words ‘Under God’.
In this edit I look at the daughter of Bellamy and understand her father to be a minster who came up with the phrase. Now knowing his belief of it wanting to be applicable of any country, it is important to know that not all religions are the same nor in every country. Principles and way of life is vast and differing where in unification the word must be removed even if there in Spirit it remains in older versions. As introduced in a time of division and a statement from Communism, it is important to note the difference of the worlds of the 1950s to where we are now. Unification is important when discussing the concept of The American Flag. As a country of immigrants from all over the world it is important to note that our heritage is vast and covers the rest of the world from one generation to the next and biologically connects us to other nations. To change ‘Under God’ to ‘Built from Many’ still has the essence of intention of Eisenhower, but denotes back to the founding of this country and where unification is brought back in as the flag represents a combined effort of States while looking vastly as The United States of America a combined effort built from the help of the brother and sister nations of the world since it’s founding. To change Under from Built denotes a constant work-in-progress and that it was done so from those who have their own beliefs where we build together equally vs. under someone based on our own beliefs for the country and our private motivations for such.
In this version, it seems more appropriate to Bellemy’s original intention where although it wouldn’t be a pledge of every country to their own flag, ‘The United States of America’ phrase is interchangeable to any country in this regard. I imagine where it would stray would be ‘with liberty and justice for all’ which is more specific The United States of America on founding principles translated as such as an ideal of liberty and justice for all globally but understanding the difference of cultures. It would be an interesting test to send out to all nations with the concept of Bellemy’s original intention to see where phrases connect or do not in subtle differences or how it is used for translation in any country and what they hold most in values.