Allegiance

Did you know that my children now pledge allegiance in school each morning to both the USA flag and the Texas flag? This was a surprise, and I must admit that when I happen to be in the school during announcements my voice is silent after the USA pledge as I listen with some disgruntlement to the children pledging allegiance to a state. Now, I was a history major in college, and I think I understand at least a little bit about the critical need for a balance between state and federal governments. However, I consider myself foremost a citizen of the United States of America and don't think any length of time spent in Texas (or any other state) will ready me to pledge my allegiance to it.

Interestingly, when Ben and I visited Colonial Williamsburg a few years ago we sat in an interactive lecture with the Colonial Thomas Jefferson (or at least someone who had studied the man enough to portray him as well as anyone could portray someone gone that long) and learned something about the portrayer's view of the pledge of allegiance. The subject of flag burning came up and "Jefferson" seemed untroubled by it, allowing for it as a healthy outcome of freedom of speech. An audience member pressed "Jefferson" further and applied to what many of us consider the sacred words of the pledge of allegiance. I'll never forget the Colonial "Jefferson's" comment: "You pledge allegiance to a flag?!"

So, I looked up the pledge to the Texas flag to include it here so you could be disgruntled along with me, but I learned something that made me pause, something that brought new meaning to the words my children recite each day. The Texas pledge was created in 1933 and has remained basically the same since then. However, just this year it was amended to include the phrase, "one state under God." To me, this critical change at a time when so many are moving the opposite direction says something incredible about Texas!

Will I say the pledge now? No, I'm still not ready to pledge allegiance to a state; but now when I hear the Texas pledge I will think of the many Texans who want their children to know that they believe in and request the merciful help of our Father in Heaven.

Here is the Texas pledge, for your benefit: "Honor the Texas Flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible."

{I have wondered how Jefferson might have felt about the Pledge later in life. Would he have answered as his Colonial portrayer did? Also, you may enjoy reading about the Pledge on Wikipedia where there is any interesting account of how the Pledge came into being and also what prompted Eisenhower and the US Congress to add the words "under God" to the US Pledge in 1954. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance).}