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by Dahni
© 2015, all rights reserved
Dedicated to: Janet
Sometimes, you find inspiration from something as simple as, a Facebook post from a friend. And sometimes that inspiration brings something beautiful to mind and reminds you and causes you to dig deeper. Why does Our Lady, Lady Liberty stand? Not on a pedestal, but for what reason does she stand? Why does she hold a torch? Why does she, hold Our Declaration of Independence inscribed, July 4th, 1776? Why do her feet trod upon the broken chains of bondage? Why does she speak these words of Emma Lazarus’ poem –
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Excerpt from ‘The New Colossus’ by Emma Lazarus
In 1903, the poem was engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the lower level of the pedestal of, the Statue of Liberty.
The simple answer to all the above is the same as her name – LIBERTY!
When I was a young boy, every single day in school, I took ‘the pledge of allegiance.’
“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.”
OMG, I wrote the word God. Yes, because that’s exactly what it says and what it means and what I meant and what I mean.
And I said it standing up, without a hat on my head and my right hand over my heart.
But that was then and this is now. Schools don’t say the pledge of allegiance much anymore, if at all or ever. This is a very sad thing, but I think I know why, I don’t understand it, but I think I know why. The reason, for it’s removal is due to, three groups:
the non-religious – the religious – and the legal beagle (yep, like a dog on a pork chop, hell bent on not keeping the law, but interpreting the law).
The non-religious, or those that do not believe in God were and are offended. OK, go sit somewhere else, provided for you, while those that want to say this pledge may, but NO, strike it out, altogether!
Some, religious, were and are offended because, they have no allegiance, except to God. OK, go sit somewhere else provided, for you, while those that want to say this pledge may, but NO, strike it out, altogether!
And the lawyers and the judges and the courts got involved and said, “You can’t make people say this pledge,” (never knew I had to)! OK, go sit somewhere else provided, for you, while those that want to say this pledge may, but NO, strike it out, altogether!
So you don’t want to say this pledge and are offended. Well, I’m offended that you wouldn’t want to! OK, go sit somewhere else provided, for you, while those that want to say this pledge may, but NO, strike it out, altogether! So much for my pursuit of happiness, but just as long as you’re happy, I should be?
Now I’ve heard, ‘Separation of Church and State,’ until I’m blue in the face. If it’s not God, from which we were endowed with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, then where do they come from? What is Life without Liberty? What Happiness can be pursued without Liberty?
We separated from England and declared it in, 1776. We won our independence, but it seems like some, have been busy ever since, trying to separate us, from each other. The Declaration of Independence is, separate from, Our Constitution. The Preamble to the Constitution is, separate from, the Constitution. Separation of Church and state is, separating us, from God and State. But our founding documents really have, a different view. These views are like our home.
You don’t build a house, without a foundation. It has to be there, before you build the rest of the house. Our foundation is, the Declaration of Independence. Most houses have some kind of heating and cooling system, an energy source to keep it warm, cool and balanced and running. Our furnace is, The Constitution of The United States of America. In every home there are rooms. Our rooms are our rights, The Bill of Rights. Every home has a deed, an owner. Our deed is, the Preamble to the Constitution. WE the People, own this house! Most homes have a roof. The roof covers the whole house to protect it and its contents. Our roof is, God! Now before you might go and hit the roof, please allow me to show why, this is so.
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God…”
Excerpt from: The Declaration of Independence, 1776
Did you read that our separate and equal station comes from, the, “Laws of Man” or “of Nature’s Man?” NO! Before this was written, our founders already had those and they wanted something more like, LIBERTY!
When it came time to build our house, we already had a foundation.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Excerpt from: The Declaration of Independence, 1776
This same foundation, provides a foundation, a purpose, a reason or a preamble, to the Preamble to, Our Constitution and the Constitution.
“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Excerpt from: The Declaration of Independence, 1776
Who are these men (all inclusive noun – men and women of legal age to govern) and whose consent is required, for our servants to govern?
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Preamble to the Constitution
“We the People of,” the Preamble to the Constitution are the same “We,” which hold these truths from, the Declaration of Independence. What truths – all…are created equal…endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..!
What are the “blessings of Liberty” from the Preamble to the Constitution – unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..!
And where do those, “blessings of liberty,” come from – the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God…,” from, the Declaration of Independence.
“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
Amendment V, Bill of Rights, The United States Constitution
Now the fifth amendment uses the word “property” instead of “happiness,” from the Declaration of Independence. “Property” is, the result of, the “Pursuit of Happiness,” whether it is intellectual, emotional, artistic, spiritual, financial, real or whatever it is that makes one happy to pursue and to obtain. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, secures, protects and preserve the rights, for the individual to pursue them. It offers no guarantee that any and all will obtain, only that they have such rights as, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, to pursue them!
The Declaration of Independence, The Preamble to the Constitution, The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are all, parts of the Whole. And the whole roof of, the whole house is, from Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God…”
None of these documents define who or what God is, but they clearly bind US, We the People together and Our rights are clearly, distinctly NOT, from man (humanity) For what man (humanity) gives, it can take away and this is a direct opposite of, “Unalienable rights,” rights which cannot be taken, forfeited, bought, sold bartered or surrendered!
Now read the pledge of allegiance again.
“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.”
How could any one of Us, WE the People, ever be offended in taking this pledge or saying it out loud? As this began, I still think I know why, but I still don’t understand it!
I’m one that freely, but solemnly makes this pledge. I am not forced or compelled to. I pledge to be loyal to, committed to, not perfect, but faithful to, not some idolatrous thing, royal or a man, and not really some flag, but what it represents. It represents the United States of America, which is not a monarchy, theocracy, democracy (rule by majority), anarchy or tyranny, but a Republic (rule of law), the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” for which it stands (not falls). It is one nation, not another or other nations. And it is ONE nation “under God,” “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” And by this it is indivisible, with Liberty and justice for all (you and I and everyone) of Us, WE the People!
The absolute best explanation, for this pledge that I have personally ever heard was, a presentation by, Red Skelton, on January 14, 1969, a little over 46 years ago! If you have never seen this before or even if you have, I invite you to see and hear this on the You Tube video to follow. Whether this is your first time or something you recall, please view it from start to finish. And in following this, I might have a surprise, for each of you! 🙂
Now for your surprise (maybe)? What you may or may not know is, Red Skelton wrote this, the whole thing. And he wrote it about two and half years before, it was first presented on TV, in 1969. He fought, for this presentation, with CBS, for 2 1/2 years. Even before he wrote this, some non-religious and some religious folk were offended by the idea of allegiance or raising your arm to take this pledge. To many, especially during WWII, it looked too much like the German salute to Hitler. So that was changed to placing your right hand over your heart or with a military salute if, applicable. And when the words “under God,” were added, even more people were offended and CBS did not want to take any heat. It was OK, to tell a story though, if it was from a third party, not yourself. So, Red Skelton made up the whole story and the teacher, Mr. Laswell. What school age child could ever remember, the entire words of this explanation? But, CBS would NOT budge. Red waited and waited for 2 1/2 years. Then the opportunity presented itself as chance. It so happened that CBS needed time to fill on the air and asked Red, to just tell a story. He did! And that is the truth, it was a story.
The all connecting parts of Our whole home, the home of US, WE the People, are, The Declaration of Independence, The Preamble, The Constitution, the Bill of Right and the roof of Liberty was built by, the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God…” This is the purpose for, the pledge of allegiance and for, Red Skelton’s presentation and explanation. And like the radio commentator, Paul Harvey, always used to say, “Now you know, the rest of the Story!”
Our Lady Liberty 