Altered Pledge of Allegiance stuns students

[Amelia]

Altered Pledge of Allegiance stuns students

By Valerie Richardson

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Published April 23, 2005

DENVER -- The students in Vincent Pulciani's seventh-grade class were reciting the Pledge of Allegiance this week when they heard the voice over the intercom say something they'd never heard before, at least not during the Pledge.

Instead of "one nation, under God," the voice said, "one nation, under your belief system."

The bewildered students at Everitt Middle School in Wheat Ridge never even got to "indivisible," according to Vincent's mother, Christina Pulciani-Johnson.

"He came home and told me about it after school, and he said, 'I just stood there, Mom. I didn't even know what to do. We all just stood there and didn't even finish it,'" Mrs. Pulciani-Johnson said, quoting her son.

Margo Lucero, the eighth-grade guidance counselor at the school, substituted the phrase "under your belief system" as she led the recitation of the Pledge on Wednesday.

After irate phone calls poured in from parents, Principal Kathleen Norton, who normally leads the Pledge but was out of the building at the time, apologized to students Thursday and sent home letters of apology yesterday.

"The principal called me later. She said she was dumbfounded. She wasn't in the building. She didn't approve it," Mrs. Pulciani-Johnson said.

Meanwhile, Jefferson County School District spokesman Rick Kaufman was engaged in damage control, describing Miss Lucero's decision to rewrite the Pledge as "inappropriate" and stressing that she had acted independently, without consulting the district or other school officials.

Mr. Kaufman said Miss Lucero had been spurred by the date, April 20, the sixth anniversary of the Columbine High School slayings. Both Columbine and Everitt are within the Jefferson County school district.

"The day was the sixth anniversary of Columbine, and she felt she should be all-inclusive, so she replaced the word 'God,'" he said.

Mr. Kaufman refused to say whether Miss Lucero had been disciplined by the district, citing private personnel matters. He did say she was still working at Everitt.

Parents said Miss Lucero had been slated to leave Everitt at the end of the year, and Shelley Pierce, whose daughter is in seventh grade, said it appeared that the counselor was clearing out her office.

Her daughter, Bailey, told her about the incident after school Wednesday. "I was really angry," Mrs. Pierce said.

"Legally, that's our Pledge of Allegiance, and I don't think anyone has the right to change it," she said. "I'm very happy with the way the district has handled it. Nobody's trying to defend it."

Miss Lucero could not be reached for comment.

The episode marks the second time this year the Pledge has made headlines in Colorado. In March, voters in Estes Park recalled a councilman, David Habecker, who refused to stand for the Pledge during town meetings.

[bevin]

The Pledge of Allegiance is one aspect of American life that, even after 20+ years, I still find appalling.

It always smacks of the behavior of a totalitarian regime and feels like mind control.

/Bevin

[Guest]

Hey Bevin...can I fix you up for a date with Margo??

[cricket]

No offense, but I've never understood how one could be allegiant to a flag. A flag is an inanimate, non-thinking object.

I'm glad she did this though. What if she had changed the words to "One nation, under Allah (or Buddha, Baal, Beezelbub, or Bob...)?" One day, this nation may come to a point where there are more Buddhists than Christians. What then?

I have a feeling that many, many of us will feel as if it were mind control then.

[bevin]

I few years ago, to get my daughter a US passport, I was required to 'swear or affirm that...'

I asked the official what the difference was. Apparently you affirm on nothing, but you swear on a Bible. I commented that I thought it was weird to be asked to swear on a Book that told you not to swear on anything...

/Bevin

[Michelle]

Ever read The Children's Story by James Clavell? I highly recommend it. Dealing with the pledge and how it can be used and distorted. Fascinating.

Michelle

[wicklunds]

Exactly my feelings Christine. One day there was a lady at our church giving some religious liberty talk and at the end of her talk she asked us to recite the pledge with her. Needless to say I was not very happy about this. This incident wasnt as bad as the time at one church where they showed a video taped interview with George Bush (current president). Ohhh I wanted to give the pastor an earful but I held my peace.

[Morning Glory]

I had not heard of this incident, so thanks for sharing it. I rarely get to see/hear the news as I get home after it is all over. I really do not understand what all of your fussing about the Pledge of Allegiance is all about. If I knew where you all were coming from, maybe it would make sense, but just reading you all's posts it makes NO SENSE to me whatsoever.

The flag is only a SYMBOL of our country from my understanding, (and even as a 1st grader, I "got" it) not that we are to actually pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth, THAT would be ludicrous! I don't understand why it is construed as wrong to pledge allegiance to ones' country!!

Perhaps someone out there would be only too glad to enlighten me as to what is WRONG with pledging allegiance. How does THAT smack of totalitarianism??? It just doesn't make ANY sense!! I am proud to be an American, and proud to say the Pledge. It usually brings a tear to my eye.......not that I am approving of all that is done by the powers that be. Maybe one day I will change my mind on this, but so far, I haven't.

[wicklunds]

So do you think that God minds that we pledge allegiance to a flag or a country with shifting and dragonlike ideologies? I think that is a very big spiritual faux pas. But there are scriptures that support nationalism. Mostly in the OT surrounding the nation of Israel though. I believe there is a great difference.

[bevin]

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Perhaps someone out there would be only too glad to enlighten me as to what is WRONG with pledging allegiance. How does THAT smack of totalitarianism???

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Allegiance is something that should be earned, not indoctrinated.

If a country is truely worthy of allegiance, it does not require some cultic ritual (such as standing at attention, facing a piece of cloth, placing ones hand over ones heart, and reciting nonsense), to have it.

On the other hand, countries that are not truely worthy of allegiance use such rituals to mind-control their citizens.

The USA has its foot in each camp. Yes, it is as worthy (but no more so) than any other mainstream western country. Yes, it engages in mind-controlling practises on its citizens.

You only have to listen to presidential speeches with their "and God Bless America" ritual ending to see that mind-control at work. Or watch the utter nonsense about constitutional amendments about burning American flags...

/Bevin

[Dr. Shane]

We are instructed by Paul to submit to our governing authorities. It is quite simular to the Commandment to obey our parents. I have known many that share Brother Bevin's concern about swearing on a book that forbids us to swear on anything. So it is very good that the US governing authority allows us to affirm instead of swear. Thus we can still remain submissive to the governing authority without disobeying God.

Our country is in many respects like our parents. We do not choose which family we are born into but we are commanded to obey our parents. Nor do we choose which country we are born into but we are commanded to submit to governing authorities. In both commands (parents and gorverning authorities) we are not to obey or submit if to do so would violate the law of God.

I do not have a problem living in a religious society as long as they allow me the freedom to practice my faith. So it doesn't bother me that they added "under God" to the pledge some 50 years ago although I doubt I would have voted for it if I had been in Congress . Nor do I have a problem pledging alligence to my country which protects me from my enemies, provides educational opportunies for my family and I, builds and maintains transportation systems and creates and maintains an environment for business to create job opportunities.

[bevin]

You are completely missing my point.

It is NOT the concept of Allegiance I find repulsive.

It is NOT the concept of having a pledge for specific purposes (e.g. some ritual when joining a branch of government service).

It is the concept of having school children mindlessly recite it every day. It is the concept of having entire towns stand and repeat it just before town meetings. Heck, my local ambulance people do it at some meetings for no obvious reason.

Mindless repetitive recitation of a pledge is, to me, something that regimes do when they DON'T have consensual allegiance.

Mindless repetitive recitation is a mindcontrol device.

/Bevin

[Guest]

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This incident wasnt as bad as the time at one church where they showed a video taped interview with George Bush (current president).

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regarding what???

I remember George Vandeman showing a interview of Ted Bundy.......

by James Dobson...why the very nerve.....!!

[wicklunds]

It had something to do with how much he appreciated our Adventist faith. It wasnt so much what he said, it was that it was being shown in church, at Sabbath school. It was way too creepy a thing for me to bear considering how much the presidency has been cowtowing to the Vatican. It just wasnt right to me. I forgot who was doing the interviewing.

[Dr. Shane]

Having children recite the Pledge of Alligence everyday in class teaches them to respect their governing authority. I see nothing wrong with that. It is like reciting the Ten Commandments everyday will teach kids to obey their parents, among other things.

[cricket]

I only have a problem with the part where children who don't believe in these things are required by their schools to repeat this pledge.

It is wrong to force religion on anyone. It is also wrong to force allegiance to a particular country. Both should be free choices of the will.

[Morning Glory]

Well, Christine, I would think that having school children recite the Pledge of Allegiance would only be "required" of US citizens, not children of other countries. Are you saying that you are teaching your children to NOT be allegiant or supportive of the US of A? Are you a US citizen?

There is nothing "religious" in the Pledge. "Under God" is so generic that it can't possibly be construed to be promoting anything religious.

I guess things are what you make of them, and in my opinion, too much is being made of this by the naysayers. I am really troubled by the anti-american attitude that I am sensing in these posts. Just my take on this, tho. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

[Dr. Shane]

Again, I wouldn't have supported adding "under God" to the Pledge but now that it is there I don't see it as a great threat to religious liberty.

The Pledge of Alligence is a pledge to the country and not to God. So I don't see having children recite it in school as forcing religion on anyone. In fact, I believe that Jehova Witness children do not have to recite it as it is against their faith to do so.

[bevin]

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I am really troubled by the anti-american attitude that I am sensing in these posts.

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I think you sense this because, in your mind, these two issues are intertwined. Probably because you are an American and have that cultural backaround.

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Just my take on this, tho. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

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I think this is an interesting part of the emotional issue.

I am a NZ citizen, lived there the first 20 years of my life, lived in Australia for about three years, then haved lived in the USA over twenty years.

NZ may have a pledge. If so, I don't ever recall hearing it. We never saluted the NZ flag. Maybe one ceremony (Memorial Day) a year where you would sing the National Anthem - most NZ's could not even name it.

Australia is the same.

However both Kiwis and Ozzies feel a strong allegiance towards their countries. But they regard coercive ceremonies with scorn.

The biggest difference I have noticed, and I think it partially comes out of the rah-rah-rah aspects of American culture, is that Americans tend to think of their country as better than every other country, whereas I see NZ and Australia and many other countries as basically the same - each with plusses and minusses.

You need to remember what strong nationalism "we are much better than them" did to Europe. It caused hundreds of years of bloody wars. And a lot of it was made possible by brain-washed citizens.

/Bevin

[cricket]

I am American. I fly the American flag on my flagpole out front. I have an American flag that drapes my front door. On Independence Day I paint a giant flag on my front window and illuminate it by turning on the lights inside. We watch fireworks from our front lawn and have about 20-40 people over to celebrate each year.

My brother is in the Air Force after serving 8 years in the Army. Two years during which he served with the President aboard Air Force One. I care very deeply for our country and am proud to be an American.

Do I teach my children to not be supportive of the United States? Of course not! I teach them to be thinkers though, and to be choosers according to their beliefs. I do not force my religion or my patriotism upon them. It is their choice, not my mandate.

I disagree that there is nothing religious in the Pledge. When you claim that a nation is under God, you are claiming a religious belief. My father, an atheist, was very much appalled at the idea of the words "under God." For him, it was as ludicrous as it would be for Christians to repeat the words, "under Jello."

Certainly, you'd be appalled at the addition of the words, "under Jello," would you not?

It is all about tolerating our differences in beliefs. It is about the right to make our own choices and the freedom to do so when we choose.

[Morning Glory]

Thank you for your response, Christine. I guess I was unprepared for such a different opinion of the Pledge from the citizens of the USA. I will be satisfied to agree to disagree on this particular topic. I am in favor of tolerating others opinions as I do it all the time. I appreciate that you took the time to let me know where you are coming from, tho. I look forward to many discussions with you in the future.

[cricket]

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I will be satisfied to agree to disagree on this particular topic.

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I look forward to many discussions with you in the future.

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Me too! Glad that you have an open mind and are willing to listen to others' points of view. Not many people are willing to do that. As I've said before, argument (disagreement without hositility or animosity toward another) is good for growth!