The person who lobbied the federal government to have the words “under God” officially inserted into the pledge of allegiance has died.

Can we take it out now? The pledge, written by Francis Bellamy, a South-hating Northern socialist who wished to inculcate blind loyalty to the state among young people, has always been an affront to the ideas behind the founding of the Republic. The thought of Thomas Jefferson reciting an oath of loyalty to a national flag is laughable.

Bellamy also tied the recitation of the oath to the secular nationalist “holiday” known as “Columbus Day.” I write about that here.

Interestingly, one aquaintance of mine who gets all worked up about how great the “under God” line is, hasn’t darkened the door of a Church in a decade. Like many Americans, his idea of religious piety is making sure that the words “in God we trust” appear on the next issuance of the government’s worthless currency. Actual devotion to God Himself be damned.

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