One Nation, UNDER GOD

"One nation, UNDER GOD," you betcha.

Especially on the first post 9-11 Fourth of July.

So pholks, here we are about to celebrate the birthday of our nation at one of the most critical and testing periods of history and some non-believers want to change the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

And with repeated warnings that terrorists might target the United States on its birthday, how dare someone pick that time to wage a legal battle to remove those two words.

I'm not an openly religious person, but I believe in a supreme being. It's nobody's business but my own whether I call him "God, George, Frank, Gus or Leon. Or even if my trusty nine-iron or by left sneaker is my supreme being, or god, (even with a small "g") I have a right to believe whatever I want.

As far as I'm concerned, the word "God" in the Pledge of Allegiance is non-denominational and means that those living under the symbol of this nation can believe in whatever or whomever he or she wants. If someone wants to say "One nation, under my cat named Growl Tiger, with liberty and justice for all," that's okay.

If a non-believer doesn't want to recite all the words to the Pledge that's fine with me. Skip them, replace them, hold your tongue or hold your ears.

You can't be thrown in jail for not saying the pledge of allegiance. That's one of the rights of this country. Our flag is a symbol of that right. Now pholks, we all know all the arguments about the Constitution and the separation of church and state and all that stuff. I understand all too well the arguments this non-believer and his supporters and legal advisers are waging. They have their rights, by God. And they should thank God or whomever or whatever or no one, for that right. After all, it's their right, right?

And how about the timing of this legal battle. At no time in American history, as our flag and the allegiance to it been more profound, more personal, more heart-felt or more resurgent.

When you read this the Fourth of July will have come and probably gone. It may be a moot point, but I gotta tell you, attacking America on its birthday might be really symbolic but it couldn't be more dangerous. We all know how this wonderful nation reacted to Sept. 11, but who among us could conceive how this country would respond to an Independence Day attack.

The saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," is pretty true, as I and most guys can attest. But a scorned woman would seem pretty damned tame compared to what America attacked on its birthday would bring.

No matter what the courts might have said, can you image how many Americans would have skipped the "Under God" phrase at any July 4th celebration. Probably about the same number as the number of people who admit to having a Enron executive as a friend or relative. Or the number of people who think Martha Stewart is a victim of circumstances in stock market trading.

For the record, I was 10 years old and in the fourth or fifth grade when, during the Eisenhower administration, the pledge was amended to add those two words. It took several months, maybe even longer for us students to always remember to insert "Under God' between, "One nation," and "Indivisible with liberty and justice for all."And it took a lot longer for adults in that time period to get it right all the time. Some of us kids probably even giggled during a public meeting or sports event with a parent, grandparent or someone else made a pledge mistake.

Even if the courts eventually rule that the non-believers are being "violated" by the current Pledge, I think hell will at least be cooling off before very many real Americans will make it a habit to skip those two words.

On the Fourth of July, I will have pledged allegiance to the flag of my country which is under the eye and guidance of my God.

You damned betcha.

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