I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the ideals for which it stands: liberty and justice for all.


There are reasons why this is the pledge I make. For one thing, I believe that the ideals of liberty and justice transcend political borders.

And leaving out the part about being "under God" -- ?

Some people point out that the "under God" part of the pledge of allegiance is a relatively new addition and therefore non-canonical. That's true. But traditions often change.

Some people talk about the separation of church and state. This, I feel very strongly about -- but what does that actually mean? When phrased like that, it seems an awfully abstract concept. After all, the pledge is just a bunch of words, right? Nobody is actually being forced to be religious, right?


Here is what it means:

1. The existence of a divine being is not dependent upon belief. There may or may not be a God. Whether or not someone believes in God has absolutely no effect whatsoever on whether or not there is one. Therefore, individual beliefs are just that: individual beliefs.



2. I know a lot of decent, moral, ethical, passionate people who are not just uncertain, but who actively disbelieve that there is a God. They are still Americans, and their ability to state their lack of belief without being thrown in prison is one of the reasons I am grateful to be an American.

Let freedom ring.