Recently we experienced one of those small Zoom blessings when we saw our kindergarten granddaughter recite the Pledge of Allegiance. It was a proud moment for her and us, but it got me wondering. Do we as a nation still honor the Pledge, or an oath, to our nation? In Naperville School Districts 203 and 204, the answer is, YES.
The current version of the Pledge of Allegiance, however, (which includes the words “under God”) was briefly ruled unconstitutional because it may not be recited in public schools as part of a teacher-led or school-sanctioned activity. The Supreme Court reversed the lower court decision. The Pledge is short; yet the possibility of costly court cases moves some school districts to forgo it and come up with excuses, such as “it takes up too much time.”
Whatever the reason, millions of children do not even know it, and probably even more adults don’t.
The Star-Spangled Banner is different in that it’s difficult to sing, and very few individuals know any of verses 2-4. A World War II urban legend is that a sentry would demand an unauthenticated person to sing the second verse. If he did, they shot him – as an enemy.
On the anthem, another question: Why is it that when our country’s anthem is performed, we generally are respectful; yet Chicago Blackhawk fans are anything but? I was at a game when Naperville’s Kate Scully, smartly dressed in her Marine uniform, was standing at attention alongside a Vietnam Veteran. The spectacle of yells and hoots during the National Anthem was disgusting, but is apparently routine.
With all the divisiveness today, I hope that we as a Nation continue to respect and understand what the oath stands for. More schools reciting it regularly would foster both more unity and more focus on our national values. After all, we aspire to be, and imperfectly are, “One nation under God.”
