I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag

By Fran Roberts
    Thirty-one words, Liberty, Justice, Indivisible, under God. We’ve recited them so often and we know them so well, we don’t have to think about them. But what do they mean? What do they really say? What do Americans really pledge?
    Does the following sound familiar?
    “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.”
    The Pledge of Allegiance. We know it so well that we just rattle it off every time we recite it.
    But what is it all about? What do those words mean?
    “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…” In these, the first 12 words, we state our voluntary commitment of loyalty to the flag that represents the United States.
    The flag, whether called “Old Glory” or the “Stars and Stripes” or simply the American flag, is a rectangular combination of red, and white stripes and white stars on a field of blue. Historians have long argued the meaning of the stars and stripes.
    Some say they stand for the white of liberty representing the separation from the mother country (red), with white on blue signifying the stars of heaven.
    Others insist that the white stripes represent liberty bearing (stripes) of blood shed in battle for independence, and the white stars of statehood are situated on a field of loyalty (blue).
    The American flag is a symbol of freedom. It is a symbol of the openheartedness towards others in the time of need for which the United States is known throughout the world.
    By making this pledge, we are not vowing our loyalty to some pieces of cloth that have been sewn together according to a special design; we are vowing loyalty to a country that the flag represents; the United States of America.
    “… and to the republic for which it stands…” Republic? Isn’t the United States a democracy?
    The dictionary explains that a republic is “any political order that is not a monarchy … a constitutional form of government, especially a democratic one.” The United States of America is indeed a republic, and its flag of red, white and blue is its symbol.
    More important, however, is the inclusion of the republic in the pledge of allegiance. When saying those words, the speaker is vowing his or her loyalty not only to the banner, but also to the nation that the banner represents.
    “ … one nation under God …”
    When this country was founded, there was as much emphasis on the worship of God as there was on the allegiance to the government. The original pledge of allegiance was first published in 1892 and the wording was somewhat different than it is today.   
    But the nation’s relationship to God was evident even before the Declaration of Independence was dreamed of. King James of England reportedly charged early settlers to establish their colonies in strict accordance with God’s law and cautioned them against feeling self-sufficient that they didn’t look to their Divine Creator for help and guidance.
    Often-quoted Psalms and Proverbs refer to God’s love and care for those who called His name and who believed in Him. They also have dozens of references to God’s hatred of (man’s) pride (in himself), and how people who believed they could do anything without God’s help and approval. We are in for a big surprise.
    “ … Indivisible …”
    While nations rise up against each other and factions of nations rise up against their own countries, the United States of America has remained intact. Furthermore, it has grown from 13 states to 50 and, from time to time, there is talk of certain areas and territories taking votes to request statehood too.
    The Civil War — the War Between the States — divided this great country for a while, but like the broken that knits together well, it served to make the country stronger, the war was fought, the issue resolved, the cleaning up accomplished and, as the years passed, the animosity faded. And the United States remained united.
    “ … With liberty and justice for all …”
    Although there are unfortunate miscarriages of justice from time to time, the basic premise of liberty and justice for all still stands.
    We Americans do not have to face steel-helmet troops on our streets, tanks and armored troop carriers on our highways and the absolute doctrine of a dictator shaping our futures. We can write letters to the newspapers and not worry about reprisals.
    We can speak freely and disagree with our elected representatives, and if we disagree strongly enough, we can vote them out of office at the next election.
    We can wear whatever kind of clothing we want to wear, and we can choose from among more TV channels and radio stations and publications than any other nation in the world.
    And if there is a problem that needs to be resolved, we have the right to a fair hearing; we can have our day in court if that’s what it takes to get it straightened out.
    That’s the kind of country our flag represents and that’s the country we are vowing our loyalty to every time we say the Pledge of Allegiance.