Pledge of Allegiance

The following was released when the Pledge Decision was first handed down:

Editor,

I would like to take a moment to thank and congratulate the US Circuit Court of Appeals on their decision to restore the Pledge of Allegiance to its original glory. In negating the 1954 act which added the mandatory religious affirmation "Under God", the Court returns the Pledge to its original meaning and intention – "One nation, indivisible".

I still clearly remember being an Atheist in 2nd grade, and feeling uncomfortable about reciting the Pledge. I remember not really knowing what the Pledge meant, but knowing full well that I was being forced to affirm a god in which I did not believe. I held back on the syllable, and nobody noticed, but it was the first time I ever felt like an outsider because of my religious beliefs. 

No longer will kids have to feel like outsiders just because they are not Christian or Jewish. No longer will kids be pressured to affirm a deity that isn't theirs. No longer will the public school system force every student into an unnecessary and uncomfortable situation on a daily basis.

More importantly, in this time of division and tension, the school system is now free to teach tolerance and acceptance of all people, of all religious convictions, without having to go back on its word every morning when school starts.

America became a bit more American today.

American Atheists, Inc, the nation's oldest non-profit organization by and for the nonreligious community, will be co-hosting the "Godless Americans March" in Washington DC this fall. Information can be obtained at www.godlessamericans.org.

David Silverman

National Youth and Family Director

American Atheists

Piscataway, NJ