While I'm disappointed to have the Pledge back in schools, I think the technicality in the Newdow case is a sound one. This fall look for kids everywhere to compose Groeningesque parodies and take up that singsongy voice with nothing behind it: "I PLEH jah LEE jentz..."



Nearly two years ago I ran down my objections to the pledge, I still stand by them 100%.

1. Rote recitation of anything diminishes its meaning. See the above mindless singsongy voice. Think of your favorite song, or a poem that particularly moves you. Read its words aloud. Do this again. And again. And over and over until all you hear are syllables. Then some more until the syllables become phonemes.

An aside -- This is something I never understood about Catholicism, either; the idea of penance through repeating a prayer over and over. Other than occupying time the penitent would certainly rather spend doing something else, how is this a sin deterrent? Is the Christian state of grace the ability to dash through seven Hail Marys like you were John Moschitta Jr.?



2. The inherent contradiction. "Under God/Indivisible." What's more divisive than religion?



3. A truly free society would never demand a loyalty oath. For that matter, the only flag worth pledging to is one that its citizens can burn, but that's another argument entirely. Conservatives would argue there's no sense in messing with something that's been in its present form for 50 years. But I'd point out that the nation existed for over 100 years -- including its darkest period -- without a Pledge to its flag. Good enough for the Founders not to worry about, then that's good enough for me.