"We want young Americans to recite the pledge of allegiance."
And that’s all fine and good and I am not opposed to it nor of promoting patriotism and eliminating revisionist, anti-American history curriculums, but it is not a Federal matter one way or another nor should it be. I also do not think The Pledge (nor prayers in public schools) should be compulsory. As @Texas Yellow Rose mentioned - West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette.
@NeverdulYup!
And Robert Byrd's federally mandated Constitution Day always makes me shake my head. Good intention instituted in a perfectly self-defeating way. (An unconstitutional requirement to promote the Constitution!)
And as @Suppressed noted, The Pledge of Allegiance has a bit of a controversial history. I was rather shocked when a few years ago, I learned the history of The Pledge of Allegiance and that the “One Nation Under God” was only added in 1954.
One minor correction. It was only "under God" that was added in 1954. The "one nation, indivisible" was in there since the beginning, because that was part of the core of its intent -- to promote the Federal government over states.
I am of the opinion that most of the Founding Fathers would not have been for it, especially making it compulsory.
I like that you recognize there was a diversity of thought among the Founding Fathers, and there are those who would probably have liked it. But yes, most would have been quite against it!
But to me this statement by Trump is a lot like what he said last year – “If I’m president, you’re going to see ‘Merry Christmas’ in department stores, believe me, believe me. You’re going to see it.”
What is Trump going to do? Issue an EO that makes it mandatory? Impose a special tax or fee on all and any stores that don’t force their employees to say Merry Christmas to each and every customer? Fine anyone who says “Happy Holidays”? Would that apply to the Jewish deli, the Hindu owned Indian restaurant, the “humanist” book store?
"But he's
our authoritarian!" --Trumpist cry
