Why the Pledge of Allegiance Matters
By Tom McClintock continued from Home page

There is a reason behind the movement to strike the words "under God" from the Pledge of
Allegiance--and from our national customs, and our currency, and our public ceremonies. It has
very little to do with atheism. It has a great deal to do with authoritarianism.

The philosophy of the American Founding is unique among the nations of the world because of a
bedrock principle that was given expression with words in the Declaration of Independence that
are old and familiar, and yet not often pondered these days.

In the American view, there is a certain group of rights that are accorded absolutely and equally
to every individual and that cannot be alienated by others. The existence of these rights is
beyond debate--"self-evident" in the words of the Founders. And their source is supreme--"the
Creator." "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights...."

What are these rights? They are rights that exist as a condition of human life itself. If an
individual were alone in the world, the rights he has are those rights the Founders traced to
"the laws of Nature and of Nature's God." In their words, "...that among these are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness." The right to the fruit of our own labor, the right to express our
own sentiments, the right to defend ourselves, the right to live our lives according to our own
best lights--in a word, Freedom.

But how do we secure these rights in a world where others seek to violate them? We form a
government servient to these God-given rights--or more precisely, a government under God.
"That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men...." In the American view,
the only legitimate exercise of force by one individual over another, or by a government over
its people, is in the defense of these natural rights.

This concept is the foundation of American liberty. And because it defines limits to the powers
of government, it is supremely offensive to the radicals of the Left. They abhor the words
"under God" because these words stand in the way of an all-powerful state.

The French and American revolutions were waged on precisely the same declared rights of
liberty and equality. One was a ghastly failure that ended in the reign of terror; the other, a
magnificent success. Why?

In the philosophy of the French Revolution, the rights of man were defined by a governmental
committee and extended at the sufferance of that government. In the American view, these
rights come from God, their existence is preeminent and their preservation is the principal
object of government.

If the source of our fundamental rights is not God, then the source becomes man--or more
precisely, a government of men. And rights that can be extended by government may also be
withdrawn by government.

Words matter. Ideas matter. And symbols matter. The public furor fomented by the Ninth
Circuit Court over the Pledge of Allegiance must not be devalued as a mere defense of harmless
deistic references and quaint old customs. The principle at stake is central to the very
foundation of the American nation and the very survival of its freedoms.

-- Speech by Senator Tom McClintock of California, July 3, 2002.

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E-Mail tom@tommcclintock.com

Florida To Allow Face Covering Head Scarf On Drivers License
By A Thoughtful American

After hearing that the state of Florida changed its opinion and let a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver's license with her face covered prompted this editorial written by an American citizen, published in a Tampa newspaper. He did quite a job; didn't he? Read on, please!

IMMIGRANTS, NOT AMERICANS, MUST ADAPT. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on! Sept. 11, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others.

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. Our population is almost entirely made up of descendants of immigrants. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of America being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty ! and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!

"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.

If Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from! . This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment to gives every! citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other
great American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.

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