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 … Continue reading Can we take it out now?