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A bold title, to be sure. But what I'm proposing, while rather radical, also makes a lot of sense.
I propose, that in every instance that we would recite the Pledge of Allegiance (sports games, before classes at school, etc.) that we should, instead, recite the Preamble of our Constitution.
Without a solid study or figures, I'm willing to bet that a great percentage of Americans would be able to recite, from memory, our Pledge of Allegiance. Par example:
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.
I don't think it's inconceivable to believe that most Americans can recite this from memory, because, when we were children, the lot of us were required to recite it every single morning throughout our youth.
However, I'm willing, also, to bet that the great percentage who can recite the pledge would not be able to recite the preamble to our Constitution. I know I certainly can't. From Wikipedia:
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.
The Preamble of our Constitution was bore directly from our forefathers' experiences with imperialism, and explains exactly why they committed treason against their home country of England after coming here to start life anew.
But what's wrong with our Pledge? If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Well, you're assuming it isn't broken. To many, the Pledge is nothing more than an empty gesture, little more than nostalgia of grade school. But, more pertinent to the point, the Pledge itself reflects exactly the opposite ideals of those on which our country was founded.
It speaks of unwavering, unquestionable devotion to our United States and the principles it adheres to. Given that our principles have started to deviate from their original guiding pillars. It is not our duty, as Americans, to blindly follow and accept our country, but, rather, remind ourselves of why our country was created: It was created from the frustrations of exploitation of an imperialist government who guaranteed no rights to their citizens.
Our country stands out, because we have a very robust Bill of Rights, which has only one responsibility: protecting the rights of citizens. To recite the Constitution would remind us, constantly, of the tyranny our forefathers suffered, so greatly so, that they felt their only remaining option was to put their lives on the line to stand up to their government.
We stand closer to the founders of our nation when we recite the words they collectively spoke from our Constitution, and that seems to be exactly where our nation needs to stand in a time where rights are taken for granted, and the delicate skin of the Bill of Rights is slowly stripped away.
We've lost focus. We need to be reminded.
