Marc Reeve wrote:

ArtKramr wrote:

From the NY Times letters to the editor..

To The Editor:

" I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America
and to the principles for which it stands, one nation under law,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Not bad. I still prefer the Pledge of Allegiance without the 1954
additions, though. The 1911 additions were merely for clarification, but
the 1954 addition was a crass political move.

In addition to losing the "under god," (before I finally abandoned saying the
pledge in the 7th grade as amounting to worship of an icon, as well as an
essentially meaningless but nevertheless coercive "loyalty oath," at least as
practiced in school), I tended to substitute "seeking liberty" for "with
liberty", as it more accurately reflected the ideal while acknowledging the
reality. But I rather like the letters to the editors version, with that one
change. I'd stick commas after "Constitution" and "America," to make it easier
to say (more pauses for breath). And I've never been all that happy about
"indivisible"; It kind of denies the whole idea of the Declaration of
Independence.

More importantly, we need to reduce the frequency of usage of the Pledge and
the national anthem. Constant repetition in purely routine and even trivial
circumstances cheapens them.

Of course, I've also long thought that the "Star-Spangled Banner" should be
replaced by "America the Beautiful," as the latter is both a better song and
singable by other than opera stars, although it would obviously need some
replacement lyrics for "God shed his grace on Thee" and some modern PC
changes. As in the case of the SSB, most people only know the first verse.
Here's the whole thing:

America the Beautiful - 1913

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America ! America !
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life !
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Guy