The Pledge of Allegiance was amended in 1954 when President Eisenhower approved the addition of the words “under God.”
This act caused a national brouhaha at the time. The Big Folks were all bellowing about the separation of church and state.
Being only 9, my interests drifted elsewhere.
Fall arrived, and we fifth graders recited the amended Pledge for the first time. Several of us were displeased for mainly aesthetic reasons. It didn’t sound right. The warm and fuzzy feeling was diminished.
Consequently, we refused to say “under God” as a protest until our teacher squelched it a few days later.
Here is an adult version of what caused our consternation: The old Pledge had an innate arrangement of syllables that qualified as free verse. Reciting it was a melodic, positive, uniting experience. Adding the words “under God” drove a wedge in the rhythm and insinuated a divisive undertone into the text.
Our protest may seem trivial, but it does showcase the vital importance of identifying a potential erosion of democracy and at least speaking out – even at age 9.
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