With the ruling of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance, the United States of America has adopted a new slogan: Please everyone. The first action under this new motto is getting rid of the time-old tradition of saying the Pledge in American schools. Not only is this the wrong decision, but it is ridiculous as well. This country has just become too sensitive. If you don't want to do something, then just don't do it (unless it's paying taxes). If you don't want your child to stand up in the middle of the classroom with some of the other children, then just tell them not to. If you don't want them to say the phrase "one nation under God," tell them not to say it. This is not a difficult concept. But with this comes the argument that one's child might be singled out due to his or her decision to not recite the Pledge because he or she is not a part of the majority. That is the decision they are faced with and must deal with. This country was born by a group who decided to go against the majority, and therefore, this country was founded on the principle of going against the majority. If you do not want to go with the majority, your actions are not unique, or rare. So, simply don't say the Pledge. Don't file a lawsuit claiming that your child's First Amendment rights are violated, therefore everyone's First Amendment rights are violated. It doesn't even say in the First Amendment that there is a separation of church and state. All it says is, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." All this means is Congress cannot have a say in anyone's religion. The myth of "separation of church and state" was popularized from a Thomas Jefferson letter, not the Constitution. If 9th Circuit Court judge Alfred T. Goodwin stands by his decision, then the floodgates will open. As Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez told the IDS after the decision, say goodbye to "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful." And what can we do about currency? Are we to take back all of the money that says, "In God we trust," and print new currency? Let's get serious America. We're getting a little overprotective here.
yes - no - abstain
