June 28, 2002

The Eye (don't worry, I'll

The Eye (don't worry, I'll hide your identity) offers this opinion on the Pledge of Allegiance decision in the post's comments. But it's so good I don't want others to miss it.

This is a difficult spot to be in.

Clearly the founders held that "all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights...", who "...with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence" pledged their lives to the United States against Great Britian.

How does the phrase "one nation under God" (notice, no comma, it is not its own phrase, it is part of the sentence) establish a religion? Is it because it refers to our Judeo-Christian background, and implictly endorses that? Would we not be able to teach the Declaration to students anymore, because the founders had a belief in God?

The first amendment says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Now I ask, how is a SCHOOL BOARD'S (not Congress) requiring students to say the pledge unconstitutional? Because Congress codified the pledge to read "one nation under God," and so therefore Congress 'established' a religion?

This atheist dope who sued claimed his daughter was "injured" by having to hear kids recite the pledge. It was not that she did say the pledge herself, or was forced to. She didn't say it at all. Hearing other kids say it (led by "a state-run teacher in a state-run school") was injurious?

This case was ludicrous to start with. It should have been summarily dismissed long ago. If this guy didn't want his kid to hear other kids saying the pledge, he should have sent her to a private school, or home schooled her.

People don't have a right not to be offended. There is a lot of offensive stuff out there, just choose differently and one doesn't have to be exposed to it. You're offended by nudity? Don't go to a strip club. You're offended by rock music lyrics? Turn on talk radio. So on that note, I agree with Lindsey: get used to the fact that not everyone will agree with you. But there are enough out there who do, or more closely align with your thoughts than others. So choose to be with them, instead of those who offend you.

I will say this about atheists; I'm glad they are around. I'll need someone to park my cars and polish my boats once I get to Heaven.