Colorado: Counselor Changes Pledge of Allegiance Words

There is a big flap in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, because a counselor leading the Pledge of Allegiance over the intercom replaced "one nation under God" with "one nation under your belief system." That replacement doesn't make much sense, but it did teach people a lesson in what it's like to have someone else's ideas promoted in the Pledge. I don’t think they'll actually learn anything, though.

The Denver Channel reports:

After some students and parents complained, Norton apologized to the student body on Thursday and planned to send letters of apology to parents. Jefferson County School District Superintendent Cindy Stevenson said Lucero's decision "was completely inappropriate."

"We completely believe any teacher or student has the right to follow their individual conscience; however, when leading children, you adhere to the Pledge of Allegiance," she said.

What if the phrase "under God" violates your conscience? Doesn't the Christian Right believe that people should be able to follow their conscience? And what, exactly makes a government-mandated recital of a religious oath of "under God" appropriate in the first place? What makes "one nation under your belief system" less appropriate than "under God"?

Christina Pulciani-Johnson, whose son is a seventh-grader at Everitt, said Lucero should be reprimanded. She said she spoke to Lucero and Norton, and "I made it very clear that I was a Christian and I didn't appreciate the fact that she had taken that out."

At least this parent is honest about the fact that her objection is religious. In doing so, she makes it clear that the phrase "under God" serves a religious function and, therefore, shouldn't be included in the Pledge of Allegiance. Christina Pulciani-Johnson doesn't appreciate the idea of any other religious beliefs being included in the Pledge of Allegiance — she only wants her religious beliefs promoted by the government. That is Christian Dominionism in action: the attitude that the government exists to promote Christianity and treat all other beliefs as inferior.

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