Pledging Allegiance

I LOVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE It so simple, succinct, to the point. Deliberately crafted for ease of memory. And really, its so harmless and soothing, connecting us with something larger than ourselves, like prayer. As T.S. Eliot said about something else: "So elegant, so intelligent". Professions of loyalty have a certain nobility. Sometimes it seems as if the most fervantly outwardly patriotic people recite the pledge with the most perfunctory manner, as if they own the pledge, and need merely go through the motions, like extremely religiously devout people at prayer. I know the history of the pledge; who wrote it and why, and when. Its author was a minister and a socialist, like Martin Luther King. The most truly patriotic people advocate for change and progress, not content to settle for an unacceptable status quo. In 1954, when the words "under God" were added to the pledge, I would have opposed the addition, because it was already perfect in its original form, and because adding a religious element to it was irrelevant and, arguably, a violation of the first amendment seperation of church and state. But, alas, I wasn't born until the following year. In any event, I have long since learned not to tangle with patriotically devout Christians over minor matters; I have bigger fish to fry, as they say. There are many people who misguidedly associate patriotism with political conservatism, who regared liberals as unpatriotic because liberals advvocate for change. That is nonsense, of course. There are peopl who mistakenly claim that I am "opposed" to the pledge, even though I have promoted it and participated in it, in a leadership role, all my life. These people have been deliberatly deceived with lies and misinformation, and mistakenly consider themselves superior because of their conservative religious views. I can assure them that in no way are they superior to anyone. These misinformed folks are of course Christian conservatives, adn therefor their contempt for me comes quite naturally. Being christian conservatives, they ar epeople inclined to consigna anyone who does not shart their religious or political beliefs to hell, and they are Trump cult members who consider it virtuous to attempt to overthrow the government in order to keep their cult leader in power illegally. My love of the pledge harmonizes perfectly with my belief in secular democracy, my lack of belief in religious dogma, and my fervant embrace of progressive values such as democratic socialism. The Trump supporters, having now become traitors through their support of violent insurrection, reveal their hypocrasy each time they mindlessly mouth the words to the pledge, for appearances only. You simply cannot continue to supprot a president who refuses to accept ligitimate election defeat, then inspires a violent insurection on his behalf, and call yourself a decent patriotic American, or anything but a wanton traitor. I am comforted by the fact that those who falsely accuse me of "opposing" the pledge of allegiance are themselves traitors generally, morally and intellectually bankrupt. I shall continue to support the pledge and the nation for which it promises loyalty, even as they continue to abandon it. I would pray for them, were they worth the effort.