# First Circuit to Newdow: Pledge w/ "Under God" is Constitutional **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 15, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-circuit-to-newdow-pledge-w-under-god-is-constitutional/560755 "2010-11-15T17:30:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Pierrot\_Le\_Fou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f475e1/32.png) [@Pierrot\_Le\_Fou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pierrot_Le_Fou)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-circuit-to-newdow-pledge-w-under-god-is-constitutional/560755/281 "2010-11-19T20:50:42Z")
A statement against miscegenation strikes you as appropriate? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-circuit-to-newdow-pledge-w-under-god-is-constitutional/560755/282 "2010-11-19T21:02:48Z")
> [@Pierrot\_Le\_Fou](#): > > A statement against miscegenation strikes you as appropriate? Hell. This is the problem that comes with going to look it up to make sure you spell the word right and then forget your phrasing. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-circuit-to-newdow-pledge-w-under-god-is-constitutional/560755/283 "2010-11-19T21:08:34Z")
I think we should remove even the most insignificant nod towards religion, or racism or anything like that. Our nation has been on a path toward complete equality. I see no reason to stop short of perfection. Most progress on that path has been obstructed by calls for some sort of homage to history or tradition. If your only reason to keep something is tradition, that’s a good sign its time to change it. If the pledge had the words “where all white men are equal” I’d support changing that to “where all are equal”. I similarly believe it would be reasonable to strike the words “under God”. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-circuit-to-newdow-pledge-w-under-god-is-constitutional/560755/284 "2010-11-19T22:09:18Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > I think we should remove even the most insignificant nod towards religion, or racism or anything like that. Our nation has been on a path toward complete equality. I see no reason to stop short of perfection. Most progress on that path has been obstructed by calls for some sort of homage to history or tradition. If your only reason to keep something is tradition, that’s a good sign its time to change it. > > If the pledge had the words “where all white men are equal” I’d support changing that to “where all are equal”. > > I similarly believe it would be reasonable to strike the words “under God”. Well, I don’t agree, but if you get enough folks behind the idea that Congress agrees, I’ll be supportive of legitimacy of the change. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-circuit-to-newdow-pledge-w-under-god-is-constitutional/560755/285 "2010-11-19T22:14:34Z")
So why is something short of that even acceptable? Why, in fact, do you so staunchly support stopping short of being what we could be? How is your position part of any solution, rather than part of the problem? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-circuit-to-newdow-pledge-w-under-god-is-constitutional/560755.md?page=14)