Pledge of Allegiance "Unconstitutional"

sfell

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I would like to comment on what Mr. Cat said about local school boards. What he said does ring some truth. I worked for a school district for 5 years. For those 5 years I worked for the Purchasing Department. I discovered many things about how funds were being spent.

I learned that the district paid for the home security for the districts Superintendent. That every year the Superintendent would host a lavish Christmas party that came out of district funds. Every couple of years the Superintendent would buy new china for the parties, that the district paid for out of funding. Of course these parties were only for the top Administrators in the district and other local "political peoples."

Now, of course there was a budget especially for these purposes but come on! Does the budget need to be that big? Some of that money could have been distributed to other budget funds that were actually for the schools.

Not all funding comes from the federal government and certain federal funding has to be applied for by the districts or they have to qualify. The funding that does come from the government has strict guidelines on how it is to be used. Other than that, the rest comes from local area district taxes.

About a year ago this same district proposed a huge tax increase for area residents. They presented it as providing for a particular project for the schools. Usually the residents vote for these increase, but this time they voted against it becuase they were tired of not seeing the benefits of their tax dollars. Often these "projects" are not carried out the way they were projected to the people.
 

katl8e

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I caught this guy's "act" on MSNBC. He said that he was doing it "for the American people". He cost "the Americna people" a horrendous amount of money. These frivolous lawsuits are expensive. As this heads to the Supreme Court, it will cost the taxpayers even more. Thank you, Dr. Newdow, for spending MY money to pursue YOUR personal agenda!
 

deb25

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The problem is that out of every current dollar spent on education, about 46¢ comes from the state, and about 10¢ comes from the federal government. Together, that makes up more than half of the spending, which like in any business, gives the government the upper hand of control.

A dime from the federal government doesn't sound like much, but out of that dollar spent on education, up to 75¢ is spent on human resources. So, of the remaining 25¢, 40% is made up of federal money.

Local school boards don't have anywhere near the control they once had.
 

hissy

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This hasn't got anything to do with the pledge, or the schools, but while at the doctor's office I was listening to the radio, and there is actually a petition pending to have the name of the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" changed to the "Bell Ringer of Notre Dame" Why, you ask? The person filing contends that the term Hunchback pokes fun of people with scoliosis. I have a dear friend who has this terrible affliction and would never make light of what she has gone through and is going through. But this Political Correct stuff is just getting way out of hand.
 

katl8e

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No, "The Senior Citizen and the Sea". Lets get our politically correct terminology right.
 

hissy

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These school vouchers. Wouldn't they make it instead of a public choice a school's choice? For even if the parents have the vouchers, isn't it the right of a private school to deny access to the student based on what the school sees in the child? Not having kids and not a PTA member I am just curious as to what this is going to do to the public schools as well as to us the taxpayers who will be paying for these vouchers?
 

debby

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This has been a very interesting thread to read, and I have enjoyed reading all the good comments. I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said, I am just so sick of people trying to take the mere mention of God out of our schools, off our money, etc etc...but then as soon as something like the Littleton school shootings happens, people say "Oh how could God let this happen!" Well....maybe he just doesn't feel too welcome in schools anymore!!

Just my 2 cents.
 

wigglesmom

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I guess I'm older than most of the respondents here since I remember saying the old version of the pledge in school - and I also remember never really getting an explanation (except for that "naked individual" story) when "under God" was added. (The connection to the Cold War, and the desire to distinguish the U.S. from the atheistic Soviet Union, was something I learned about only as an adult.) I also never really saw the need for the addition either: the original pledge still seems to me a perfectly fine affirmation of patriotic pride and loyalty - "one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" sums up for me what counts. The U.S. today encompassesof every shade of religious belief, and unbelief. If removing those two words can enable more people to feel comfortable expressing their patriotism, then...why not?
 

hissy

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Was watching Robin Williams last night on cable and he did some routines on this issue about the Pledge. He said he solved the whole politically correct version by stating:

"One nation under Canada above Mexico...." Made me laugh anyway so I thought I would share the giggle.

He was astounding- 2 hours of stand up and he was drenched at the end of it. What a mind he has!
 

jeanie g.

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Poor Robin! He's brilliant, but he would receive criticism for intimating that the US is inferior to Canada and superior to Mexico. This is the age of the nit picker! By the way, Robin Williams said his idol is Jonathan Winters who is a total comedic genius-and a bit "off," which he readily admits.
 
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valanhb

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I thought about posting what he said about the Pledge here, too. Wasn't that just a brilliant show?

I remember seeing him on the Young Comedians Special on HBO years and years ago, before his acting career really took off. Although he is a brilliant actor, and great in the kids movies, it was nice to see him back to his old, off-colored self. I laughed too hard last night!
 

deb25

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Ooh. I taped the Robin Williams thing the other night, but haven't watched it yet. Thanks for the motivation!
 

mr. cat

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This guy is my all-time favorite comedian!



Robin Williams is a really funny guy too, of course. They're both, shall we say, unusual.



=^..^=
 

bren.1

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The little girl's mom was on the O'Reilly Factor last night, she said that they are not atheists, and her daughter does not mind saying the pledge. Talk about nuckin' futs--I think the dad definitely qualifies. What a goofball, he just wanted his 15 minutes, and he used his daughter to get it. Sad.

And Robin Williams is hilarious. He seems to have so much energy when he's performing, he is great with the ad lib stuff, too.
 

hissy

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Well now that is interesting! Shame on that father for playing with his daughter like that and using her to gain the sympathy vote.
 

katl8e

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The father is a nut. He, flat out, said that he sues the government because "its fun".
 

jeanie g.

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I guess he's pursuing the right to "pursue happiness," because he did tell us this was a neat, cool thing, that everyone should do it. So, I'm going to spend more time thinking of something I can tie up the courts with, and try to waste more of the government's time and money! I hope I can beat the amount he's wasted...Gee, maybe I'll take him to court for wasting tax money. I'll have to put some thought in this. Since the words "under God" were not part of the Pledge as I learned it, this is not as important to me as the fact that the minority is ruling the majority. I also worry about a country which removes the mention of God from all public places, but legalizes what God says is immoral. (I've gone into particulars before, so I won't bore you with my personal beliefs now.)
 
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