-Caveat Lector- .............................................................. >From the New Paradigms Project [Not Necessarily Endorsed] Note: We store 100's of related "New Paradigms Posts" at: http://www.msen.com/~lloyd/oldprojects/recentmail.html From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Wildcat" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Author of flag salute was utopian socialist Date: Monday, July 02, 2001 10:18 PM ~~~ forwarded message ~~~ Source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=23453 The man behind the 'Pledge' Author of flag salute was utopian socialist By Joseph Farah � 2001 WorldNetDaily.com Millions of Americans will place their hands on their hearts this week and pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America in honor of the nation's independence. It's considered an act of patriotism. In fact, there's a growing movement of people, spearheaded by an otherwise-obscure Tennessee state legislator, Henri Brooks, to refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance because the promise of America has not been fully realized by some. Yet, the author of the Pledge of Allegiance was hardly some super-patriot. He was, according to historians, an avowed socialist minister pressured to leave the Baptist church because of his fiery utopian sermons about a planned economy. According to John W. Baer, author of "The Pledge of Allegiance: A Centennial History, 1892 - 1992," Francis Bellamy, who lived from 1855 to 1931, wrote the pledge in 1892. He was the first cousin of Edward Bellamy, author of the American socialist utopian novels "Looking Backward" (1888) and "Equality" (1897). Both Bellamys shared a passion for promoting their visions of a future not dissimilar from the vision espoused by Brooks. Baer says the pledge was first published in the Sept. 8 issue of The Youth's Companion, a leading family magazine. Its owner and editor, Daniel Ford, had hired Bellamy in 1891 as his assistant when the preacher was pressured into leaving his Baptist church in Boston because of his socialist sermons. In 1892, Bellamy also served as chairman of a committee of state superintendents of education in the National Education Association. "As its chairman, he prepared the program for the public schools' quadricentennial celebration for Columbus Day in 1892," writes Baer. "He structured this public school program around a flag-raising ceremony and a flag salute � his 'Pledge of Allegiance.'" The original pledge read as follows: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." He reportedly considered placing the word "equality" in his pledge, but knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and blacks. The word "to" was added in October 1892. It was not until 1923 and 1924 at the National Flag Conference, under the leadership of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution, that the pledge's words were changed again. "My flag" became "the Flag of the United States of America." Bellamy disliked this change, but his protest was ignored, says Baer. In 1954, Congress, following a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, added the words, "under God," to the pledge. The pledge was now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer. Bellamy's granddaughter said at the time that he also would have resented this second change. Bellamy had been pressured into leaving his church in 1891 because of his socialist sermons. In his retirement in Florida, he stopped attending church altogether, reportedly because he disliked the racial bigotry he found there. Joseph Farah is editor and chief executive officer of WorldNetDaily.com. Forwarded for info and discussion from the New Paradigms Discussion List, not necessarily endorsed by: *********************************** Lloyd Miller, Research Director for A-albionic Research a ruling class/conspiracy research resource for the entire political-ideological spectrum. **FREE RARE BOOK SEARCH: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ** Explore Our Archive: <http://a-albionic.com/a-albionic.html> <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! 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