Source

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, June 27, 2002: The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today issued the following statement (“source” above) in response to the federal appeals court ruling which deemed the phrase “one nation under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional.



Glen A. Tobias, ADL National Chairman, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, said: “The decision is wrong. It goes against the culture and traditions of this country, which was founded on principles respectful of faith. The statement, ‘one nation under God’ does not proclaim nor endorse any religion. And we hope that it will be reversed on appeal, to return to the American people a constitutional ability to express themselves in a Pledge of Allegiance which includes a recognition of God. The controversy over the Pledge of Allegiance is unfortunate. It threatens to trivialize church-state separation issues and divert our attention from much more important First Amendment challenges – such as vouchers, school prayer initiatives and ‘charitable choice.’ At this time of national crisis, it is important to keep perspective. We believe there are more important challenges where our efforts should be focused.”



The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.



The history of the pledge of allegiance — America is one of the few countries in the world to have one — is given here





The article reads, in part, “In 1954, the words ‘under God’ were added, after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s service organization, and other religious leaders who sermonized that the pledge needed to be distinguished from similar orations used by ‘godless communists.’ The prospect of atomic war between world superpowers so moved President Dwight D. Eisenhower that he requested Congress to add the two small but controversial words. ‘From this day forward, the millions of our school children will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and every rural school house, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty,’ Eisenhower wrote at the time.” The pledge was changed in 1954 by near unanimous vote of both houses of Congress.

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