Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Baloo · 04-09-2002, 11:01 AM

I recently discovered that my [Missouri] state senator, Senator Harry Kennedy, was sponsoring this bill: <a href="http://www.senate.state.mo.us/02info/billtext/intro/sb1034.htm" target="_blank">SB 1034 </a> which "Mandates that all schools in Missouri receiving public moneys shall recite the Pledge of Allegiance", and co-sponsoring this bill: <a href="http://www.senate.state.mo.us/02info/billtext/perf/sb831.htm" target="_blank">SB 0831 </a>which "Establishes December 15th as Bill of Rights Day). After a little thought, I composed and sent the following letter:

Quote:

Dear Senator Kennedy,

I think SB1034 (Mandatory recital of Pledge of Allegiance), though commendable for taking the initiative to instill in American children a sense of patriotism, is fundamentally flawed.

First, any child who might otherwise opt not to recite the pledge is certain to feel a coercive form of peer-pressure, entirely supported by a government employee in a position of authority, to participate in the pledge nonetheless.

Second, the Pledge of Allegiance itself remains an undeniable casualty of an irrational political wildfire of the 50's known as "McCarthyism", when its purely patriotic intent was altered, blemished, and ultimately diminished by the subversive addition of the words "under God". With these words, a pledge originally drafted to call a nation to unite becomes a pledge which can only serve to divide.

A fact: no atheistic, agnostic, Wiccan, Native American, or other American child with a non-judaic religious background can recite the altered Pledge of Allegiance without renouncing the religious beliefs he or she holds. For any non-parental adult to put a child into an environment where he or she is pressured to do so is immoral; for the US government, it is simply unconstitutional.

Let me end with a touch of irony. Should both SB1034, which you are sponsoring, and SB0831 (Bill of Rights Day), which you ar co-sponsoring, pass, one can only wonder at the confusion of nonbelieving or Wiccan children, who on December 15th will find themselves coerced into declaring submission to a god in which they do not believe... only to learn later that the same government responsible for the coercion "...shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

I strongly encourage you to drop this bill, allowing children to develop their own sense of patriotism to a government that truly respects their religious freedom.

Sincerely,
[name and address omitted]

Comments?

[Editted after a little more reflection... I think I'll hold off on actually putting it in the mailbox until I've had at least one more chance to revise and review criticisms]

[ April 09, 2002: Message edited by: Baloo ]</p>

crazyfingers · 04-09-2002, 11:18 AM

Letter writing is a good thing! Nice letter.

What was that 1943 supreme court case that said that the government can't tell the citizens what to think? Hez or Toto must know what I'm talking about. Seems the pledge is just telling people what to think. Unconstitutional of course. But most Politicians don't care about that. Just just want to get votes.

Coragyps · 04-09-2002, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Second, the Pledge of Allegiance itself remains an undeniable casualty of an irrational political wildfire of the 50's known as "McCarthyism", when its purely patriotic intent was altered, blemished, and ultimately diminished by the subversive addition of the words "under God". With these words, a pledge originally drafted to call a nation to unite becomes a pledge which can only serve to divide.

<img src="graemlins/notworthy.gif" border="0" alt="[Not Worthy]" /> Beautimous! <img src="graemlins/notworthy.gif" border="0" alt="[Not Worthy]" />

hezekiah jones · 04-09-2002, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crazyfingers:
What was that 1943 supreme court case that said that the government can't tell the citizens what to think?

Quote:

If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us.

<a href="http://oyez.nwu.edu/cases/cases.cgi?command=show&case_id=426&page=abstract" target="_blank">West Virginia State Board of Ed. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)</a>

crazyfingers · 04-09-2002, 04:42 PM

I knew you'd know

Krieger · 04-09-2002, 09:54 PM

Very nice!

Oresta · 04-10-2002, 03:32 AM

A great letter. Mail it without delay.

Stephen Maturin · 04-10-2002, 07:37 AM

Terrific job, Baloo! A few admittedly anal retentive suggestions appear in brackets below.

Quote:

Dear Senator Kennedy[:]

I think S[.]B[.] 1034 (Mandatory recital of Pledge of Allegiance), though commendable for taking the initiative to instill in American children a sense of patriotism, is fundamentally flawed [in at least three important ways].

First, any child who might otherwise opt not to recite the pledge is certain to feel a coercive form of peer-pressure, entirely supported by a government employee in a position of authority, to participate in the pledge nonetheless.

Second, the Pledge of Allegiance itself remains an undeniable casualty of an irrational political wildfire of the 50's known as "McCarthyism", when its purely patriotic intent was altered, blemished, and ultimately diminished by the subversive addition of the words "under God". With these words, a pledge originally drafted to call a nation to unite becomes a pledge which can only serve to divide.

[Third, and most important, the bill flagrantly violates the First Amendment guarantee of religious freedom.] A fact: no atheistic, agnostic, Wiccan, Native American, or other American child with a non-judaic religious background can recite the altered Pledge of Allegiance without renouncing the religious beliefs he or she holds. For any non-parental adult to put a child into an environment where he or she is pressured to do so is immoral; for the U[.]S[.] government, it is [both immoral and constitutionally impermissible].

Let me end with a touch of irony. Should both S[.]B[.] 1034, which you are sponsoring, and S[.]B[.] 0831 (Bill of Rights Day), which you ar[e] co-sponsoring, pass, one can only wonder at the confusion of nonbelieving or Wiccan children, who on December 15th will find themselves coerced into declaring submission to a god in which they do not believe... only to learn later that the same government responsible for the coercion "...shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

I strongly encourage you to [renounce] this bill, [thereby] allowing children to develop their own sense of patriotism to a government that truly respects their religious freedom.

Sincerely,
[name and address omitted]

Regards,
Russ

"Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church, and private schools entirely supported by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate. With these safeguards I believe the battles which created the Army of the Tennessee will not have been fought in vain." U.S. Grant, 1875

Baloo · 04-10-2002, 02:06 PM

Anally retentive? Hell no! These are great suggestions. Thanks, and I'll be sure to post the response (tomorrow morning will be the 'last call' for any other suggestions before I mail in the final draft).

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04-09-2002, 11:18 AM	#2
crazyfingers Contributor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 13,699	Letter writing is a good thing! Nice letter. What was that 1943 supreme court case that said that the government can't tell the citizens what to think? Hez or Toto must know what I'm talking about. Seems the pledge is just telling people what to think. Unconstitutional of course. But most Politicians don't care about that. Just just want to get votes.

04-09-2002, 04:42 PM	#5
crazyfingers Contributor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 13,699	I knew you'd know

04-09-2002, 09:54 PM	#6
Krieger Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: ... Posts: 2,191	Very nice!

04-10-2002, 03:32 AM	#7
Oresta Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 1,107	A great letter. Mail it without delay.

04-10-2002, 02:06 PM	#9
Baloo Regular Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 417	Anally retentive? Hell no! These are great suggestions. Thanks, and I'll be sure to post the response (tomorrow morning will be the 'last call' for any other suggestions before I mail in the final draft).

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