Under God
9/15/2005
My wife and I went out on a refreshing dinner date last night, then we hung out in the car and talked for what seemed like hours. From the safety of the car, we watched the lightning roll across the sky in slow, hopping movements. It was a spectacular show, and we didn't have to go anywhere to see it (or pay 8 bucks a pop).
I'm only passively reading the news this week. My 'news addiction' has only been affirming what I already knew before, that the world is completely fucked and changes are too slow to register on any scale.
However, this article put a smile on my face: Pledge in schools ruled unconstitutional. I can imagine a legion of offended jackasses flapping their lips in loud protest all across the country. Oh My! What an outrage! God will punish us all! Oooh!
I was the boy in High School that refused to stand for the pledge. I wasn't the only one. It was a form of protest, not because I don't love my country, but because I felt it unnecessary to constantly reaffirm a pledge until it becomes mindless, droning nonsense. I also felt that the government was far too oppressive and manipulative, weaving its little 'moral' fingers into everybody's lives. Getting at them through every angle. Twisting public opinion and personal needs and self-image.
Why should I drone a pledge to an entity that has failed to serve its masters?
"Under God."
I am an AV geek, so I've watched a number of educational films from the late '40s and early '50s. Believe it or not, early patriotic films featuring the Pledge of Allegiance did not contain the magic words "Under God," and this may surprise some readers.
Here's the history lesson: In 1954, Congress, in its laughable attempts to combat 'atheistic communism' at every possible angle, inserted the famously controversial words 'Under God' into the Pledge of Allegiance to season our patriotism with a subtle religious tone. From that day on, clueless schoolchildren across the country were pressured to swear allegiance to a Christian deity every weekday morning of their lives.
When Eisenhower signed the bill, he stated, "From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren will daily proclaim . . . the dedication of our Nation and our people to the Almighty." (link)I hope this recent court decision sticks. I think the Pledge IS unconstitutional for the reasons stated above, and the 'obligatory sensation' it creates hinders a child's sense of individuality. Affirmations that become thoughtless drones serve no purpose. And religious brainwashing is not what civilized people do.
It seems the only thing really being taught is how to be a mindless, working citizen with no ideas of one's own.
RIP Robert Wise. While I don't share many public opinions regarding the status of Citizen Kane (yes, it's a cool movie that you edited, but it isn't the greastest movie ever made), you were most definitely a master of the Silver Screen. I simply HATE The Sound of Music but I recognize it as a cultural icon (and Negativland does have a nice little 're-mix' of one of the songs that I do love). However, I am one of the few SciFi enthusiasts who loved your Star Trek movie, and who can forget The Haunting and the classic The Day the Earth Stood Still!
So wherever you are, enjoy yourself. KLAATU VERATA NIKTO!
Buy Citizen Kane (Two-Disc Special Edition) on Amazon.com
Buy The Day the Earth Stood Still (DVD) on Amazon.com
Buy The Haunting (DVD) on Amazon.com
posted by Edward Svengali @ Thursday, September 15, 2005,
