Dear Fellow Americans:
In light of the stunning Zimmerman acquittal, and long after the fact that O.J. Simpson walked out a free man for a long period after his victims lost their lives, and considering the secret U.S. drone attacks going on in countries around the world, and the concentration camp detentions without trial at America’s own GitMo, plus the participation of the US in brutal rendition, and the revelations of widespread spying and invasion of privacy within the USA by our own government, and the fact of the unusually high rates of incarceration (especially of blacks) in the US, as well as the paralysis of Congress at the hands of a minority of its members, not to mention the blatant attempts by 80% the states in the union and the Supreme Court to restrict the right to vote, plus the dismantling of poverty programs to fund tax breaks for the super-rich, and the festering of a bitterly polarized society with hatreds and intolerance growing between North and South, urban and rural, rich and poor, white and black, established citizens and immigrants, old and young, polluters and environmentalists, religious and non-religious, assault weapon buyers and gun fearing masses, men and women, white collar and blue collar, straights and gays in spite of the progress there, educated and uneducated…yes, with regard to all these horrors and more, I have a request:
I ask you to read this Pledge of Allegiance (something we have each intoned on hundreds of occasions, hand over the heart) one more time, and then pause to reconsider the meaning of each key word:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands.  One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Pledge:  To commit (a person or organization) by a solemn promise.

Allegiance:  Loyalty or commitment of an individual to a group or cause.

Flag:  A usually rectangular piece of fabric of distinctive design that is used as a symbol, as of a nation.

United: Joined together politically, for a common purpose, or by common feelings.

States:  A division of a federal State.

America:  Short name for the USA, a country in North America that stands for democratic principles, majority rule, respect for the Constitution, equal treatment under the law, guaranteed individual freedoms, etc.

Republic:  A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president.

Nation:  A large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.

God:  In monotheistic religions:  The Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe.
In atheism: Unseen and unknowable mythical creation of the human imagination as a way of explaining what is not understood at any moment.

Indivisible:  Unable to be divided or separated.

Liberty:  The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life.

Justice:  Conformity to moral rightness in action or attitude; righteousness;  fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or law.

All:  Used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group.

Now, tell me honestly if you really believe that we are a republic where the people hold the supreme power over the state, or that we provide equal justice for all, or that we are free from oppressive restrictions, or that we have majority rule, or that we have a common purpose, or that we stand for peace for all humankind, or that we are truly united or indivisible in anything of significance, or that we have a democracy where every vote counts the same, etc.

I will never say the Pledge again, until this country shows itself to be worthy of the allegiance of every decent, moral, and tolerant man or woman.  Roll up your sleeves: we have some hard work to do.

Peace and justice to all,

Roy Van Til, Maine, USA…July 13, 2013

p.s.
“Democracy”…  Lincoln said it best:  “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”  Tell me if you can read the grisly headlines of policies and secret pre-emptive warfare that reveal
what monsters we have become, and that you could say to someone from anywhere else in the world or to your neighbor that we have an exemplary “democracy” …one that deserves your sworn oath of absolute loyalty.  And then tell me how safe you feel that we have people like George Zimmerman patrolling or stalking the streets and rendering vigilante “justice” to those they choose to dehumanize, profile, pursue, and be willing to kill. He may have been judged “not guilty” in this grotesque miscarriage of justice, but my once beloved country should be rendered guilty… although we have not been officially charged.
I wonder what kind of TV ratings that trial would command!