Good Grief. What kind of circuitous reasoning could have possibly led the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to decide (2-1) that the phrase "under God" in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional?
My Goodness. I am old enough to remember when that phrase was put in. 1954. I can remember reading about the change in "My Weekly Reader" on eye-ease, green tint paper.
I Swear. The basic Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by a guy named Francis Bellamy as part of the Columbus Day celebration. It was published in "The Youth's Companion," in Boston, and read:
"I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
By Gum. According to some articles, Bellamy originally wrote the "liberty and justice for all" phrase as "liberty, EQUALITY, and justice for all," but feared the word "equality" would be the subject of controversy in the post-Civil War/ pre-voting rights for women era. He nonetheless added the word "to" prior to the words "the republic" assumedly for rhetorical and rhythmic purposes.
Mary and Joseph. In 1923, a joint effort by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Legion resulted in the words "my flag" being changed to "the flag of the United States." A year later, to further clarify the matter, the words, "of America" were appended.
Heavens to Betsy. The Congress adopted the modern - non-under God - version of The Pledge in 1942 as part of the U.S. Flag Code Title 4,USC, Chapter 1.
Lord Have Mercy. A year later the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, that no person could be FORCED to recite The Pledge, thus reversing a ruling (known to those of us who are Constitutional scholars as the Gobitis decision) of just three years earlier.
Holy Cow. According to Judge Alfred Goodwin who wrote the opinion, the phrase under God, "sends a message to unbelievers that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community."
Goodness Gracious. Judge Ferdinand Fernandez, who dissented, wrote that the words, "under God" don't run afoul of the Constitutional ban on a state-sponsored religion, "except in the fevered eye of persons who most fervently would like to drive all tincture of religion out of the public life of our polity."
The Good Word. Polity: That IS a good word. From Merriam-Webster's unabridged:
"An Aristotelian form of political organization in which the whole body of the people govern for the good of all and that constitutes a fusion of oligarchy and democracy."
Jumpin' Jehosophat. Judge Goodwin was a Nixon appointee - a 1971 Nixon appointee. This will be fun, listening to Democrats defend something Richard Nixon did.
Hosanna. Here are some immediate effects:
"Lawdy, Miss Claudy" and "Good Golly, Miss Molly;" banned from all California oldies radio stations.
Handel's "Messiah." Off the Christmas program.
The Christmas program. Hah.
"A Tale of Two Cities" can't be an assigned text. Right after that best-of-times, worst-of-times stuff: "It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five." Nope. Sorry. Jews. No Messiah. Different calendar.
Kate Smith's "God Bless America" before a school sporting event? Verboten.
Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" gone from Wal-Mart's CD section, and the George Burns "Oh, God!" trilogy off all Blockbuster's shelves in case atheists' kids go there.
The matter of "The Lord of the Rings" will have to be re-argued.
"The Lord of the Dance" should be banned anyway.
Glory Be. This decision will give new life to the Republican campaign to regain the U.S. Senate. Judicial appointments have been stalled by the Democratic majority hoping to force President Bush to nominate more liberal judges.
In Seventh Heaven. Reports out of the Senate Cloakroom, had Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott,
upon hearing the 9th Circuit decision shouting, "Thank you, JESUS!"
On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: Links to the 9th Circuit decision, the Barnette decision, the text of the U.S. Flag Code, and other interesting things.
If you are working at a lobbying firm, a government affairs office, a coalition, or a PAC you should take a
look at this page to see how advertising in Mullings might serve your organization very well:
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