In a 2006 questionnaire sent to Alaskan gubernatorial candidates, Sarah Palin answered a question concerning the phrase, “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance in a way that intimated that she believed the founding fathers were the ones that wrote the Pledge of Allegiance. From Eagle Forum Alaska:
11. Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?
Sarah Palin: “Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance”.
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by a man named Francis Bellamy. Though he might have been a father, he was not a founding father.
The phrase “Under God” was not added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954. I’m pretty sure John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson were dead by then.
It’s worth going to the before mentioned website and read the entire questionnaire. It clear that all of the candidates were given either “yes” “no”, or multiple choice questions. Palin was the only one that chose to answer the questions in essay form.
Rico
/ September 6, 2008So what, If that’s all you have to make fun of Sarah Palin for, the democrats are in deep shit, she is going to steam roll Biden in every single debate. How about you actually talk about the issues, like getting rid of welfare and this dependency state the democrats, and with regret some republicans have created.
Donna
/ September 8, 2008Rico, it saddens me that you think this election is some kind of game, where your team winning more points than mine is some indication of its superiority in governance. Haven’t we learned the folly of voting for the “one you want to have a beer with” these last 8 years?
Rico, if John McCain were elected in November and died shortly after the Inauguration, can you honestly tell me that you are confident that Sarah Palin could competently carry out the duties of President immediately thereafter?
If you can, do you mind if I ask what you are smoking?
Amy
/ September 8, 2008Rico, half of Alaskans are on welfare…talk to me about Sarah “getting rid of welfare”. Also, if the potential leader of the free world doesn’t know basic U.S. history, we’re history. Part of any foreign policy success is to understand the history and culture of other nations. Unfortunately, Dubya didn’t know this at all. That’s why we’re in the quagmire we’re in now. History has shown us that the religious zealots in the Middle East can’t live with each other – they have to kill each other over their religious differences. If Sarah Palin doesn’t know U.S. history, how can she possibly know the history of other nations? She’s obviously lived a very cloistered life and is not very well educated.
David
/ September 11, 2008“How about you actually talk about the issues”
Not knowing basic U.S history seems like an issue to me if she’s running for vice president of the united states.
None of the Above
/ October 1, 2008I’m sorry but this woman is an idiot. She actually thinks the Pledge was written and recited by the founding fathers.
The Pledge of Allegiance was written for the popular children’s magazine “Youth’s Companion” by Christian Socialist author and Baptist Minister Francis Bellamy on September 7, 1892. The owners of Youth’s Companion were selling flags to schools, and approached Bellamy to write the Pledge for their advertising campaign. Nothing more. It was marketed as a way to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus arriving in the Americas and was first published on the following day.
“Under God” was added in 1954 by President Eisenhower in response to the “Red-Scare” of the atheist Communist Society of the USSR and after much lobbying by the Knights of Columbus.
In my opinion, had it just become a national practice to say “under God” I’m sure there would not be such controversy today. But what President Eisenhower did was actually sign the wording into LAW (United States Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, §4) on June 15, 1954 stating: “These words [“under God”] will remind Americans that despite our great physical strength we must remain humble. They will help us to keep constantly in our minds and hearts the spiritual and moral principles which alone give dignity to man, and upon which our way of life is founded.”
By doing so, the President made a direct violation to the 1st Amendment to the Constitution under the Establishment Clause which specifically states:
“Congress shall make no LAW respecting an establishment of religion…”
This shows that not only is Ms. Palin deficient on Middle-School level US History, but that she is also ignorant to the law, the Constitution and as to how the words “Under God” got there in the first place.
More fun facts about the Pledge of Allegiance include that Minister Bellamy’s original draft of the Pledge included the word EQUALITY along with the words LIBERTY and JUSTICE. At the time, the Board of Education did not want equality for women or blacks, so the word was removed.
Also, the specified proper salute to the flag between 1892 and 1942 was “right arm fully extended with palm up towards the flag” This remained until it was realized that Nazi Germany had adopted the same salute. Our Pledge salute was then changed to “right hand over heart.”
As far as Ms. Palin is concerned, I can’t wait to hear her say something about George Washington singing the the “Star Spangled Banner” which incidentally did not become our National Anthem until 1931 and was written 15 years after President Washington died. LOL
Calen
/ October 15, 2008Contrary to your assertion that Palin answered in Essays as compared to the other candidates, she wrote approx. 1 sentence more on average than the one other candidate who actually sent in the survey, only the first question was a multiple choice, and the other questions often required more than a yes or no answer to fully understand the candidates opinion. I actually was impressed with Palin’s answers, although I didn’t agree with many of them. I do agree that her answer to the “under God” question is flawed.
For the record, I am a solid supporter of Obama/Biden, and greatly dislike Palin’s policies.
melatonine
/ September 27, 2009i admire Sarah Palin because she had done a lot in the area of politics. she has also a good track record when she was still the governor of Alaska.
Bentcorner
/ September 27, 2009@melatonine: Yes, right up to the point that she up and quit on the people that elected her as their Governor so that she could give speeches to anyone willing to pay her speaking fee.