WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers expressed outrage at a court of appeals ruling on Wednesday that said asking schoolchildren to recite the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional and moved swiftly to show their support for the pledge's vow of loyalty to "one nation under God."

Question, where is this country heading?

I never understood why you should know that Pledge by heart...sounds a little like brainwashing to me

This is unconstitutional but the death penalty isn't?

When I was in school we said it up until about the 3rd or 4th grade - daily. It was how we started our school day - it had in it a sense of pride to be an American, and reminded us of the freedoms we possess. For me, it wasn't brainwashing, but a reminder not to take libery for granted. It also instills a sense of community and standing for something. When we are children we seek to belong and saying the "Pledge" reminded me that I do belong and am a part of this vast country. For all of its judicial and legislative flaws and faults, I'd still rather live here than anywhere else in the world.

I heard about that on the news this morning. It sucks big time. It all started when this guy who's 'independent', not with any type of religion is filing a lawsuit against first the President and now Congress I believe. He feels that his daughter shouldn't have to say God's name in school WHICH if you don't want to say the pledge then you don't have to. He also wants the term 'In God We Trust' off of currency. Now how stupid is that? That term as been placed on money since before he was born. Doesn't people have better things to do???

THE GUY WAS ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA TODAY AND I WATCHED HIS INTERVIEW.... HE IS A VERY BITTER PERSON FOR SOME REASON.... HE DECLARES HIMSELF ATHEIST AND THAT IS FINE. HE ALSO SAID HE WOULD FILE A SUIT TO HAVE OUR MONEY REPRINTED BECAUSE IT SAYS "IN GOD WE TRUST"

EACH AND EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS A RIGHT TO BELIEVE THE WAY THEY WANT TO..... WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER THO. WE AT TIMES MUST ACCEPT OTHERS BELIEFS AND BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT... THIS MAN HAS NO INTENTION OF DOING THAT. HE WANTS THINGS HIS WAY AND HIS WAY ONLY..... THAT IS SAD... WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS THIS BROUGHT TO A NATIONAL VOTE. LET OUR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF THIS AND OF THE STATEMENT ON OUR MONIES. WE, AT THIS TIME, DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY OR TIME TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT SUCH A VERY STUPID BATTLE.

MOST PEOPLE IN THE U.S. DO BELIEVE IN A HIGHER POWER... SOME DO NOT, AND THAT IS THEIR CHOICE. DON'T PUSH ME INTO HAVING TO GO WITHOUT MY HERITAGE BECAUSE YOU WANT THINGS YOUR WAY.

JUST MY OPINION

DONNA

Very well said, Donna. this is just about respect for other peoples believes and points of views. what will this guy do, when I say the wall is black and he thinks is white. will he sue me?

funny this subject came up because i was in a training yesterday that said in the us, 98% of the populatioon believes in some "higher power"

as for the pledge of allegiance, i agree with you monica danielle-reciting it was a symbol of unity and pride in our country

as for the guy with the problem with currency, he needs to get a life- if he doesn't like what's on our money, let's see him go without using it to prove his point, and see how long he lasts

I agree w/what Donna & Sherri said. You know I bet this guy has WAY TOO MUCH time on his hands. Sits around & thinks of ways on how he can shove his beliefs...oops non-beliefs since he is an Atheist (spelling??) down all of our throats.
I really don't get people sometimes...

I sure hope there not seriously thinking about making these changes based on the lawsuit of one man.....
I agree with Donna this should be put to a national vote!

I felt when the government took prayer out of the schools, that the words on our money would be next, but never thought about our pledge being attacked.

I have wondered if the fall of Roman of yesteryears is a sign for the USA? It didn't fall from being taken over, but from within.

Roman was the greatest, most powerful Nation of it's time.

YOU KNOW BRAY, I CAN REMEMBER A RUSSIAN LEADER YEARS AGO, HIS NAME WAS KRUISCHIEF (SP) HE MADE THE STATEMENT THAT NO ONE COUNTRY WOULD EVER DEFEAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THAT WE WOULD DEFEAT OURSELVES, AND GUESS WHAT, I REALLY THINK WE ARE BEGINNING TO DO THAT... INSTEAD OF INSURING OUR COUNTRY IS WELL FED AND THAT OUR ELDERS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT THE INHUMANE TREATMENT OF INMATES IS STOPPED, WE ARE SPENDING MONEY TO ALLOW A CIVIL LAW SUIT AGAINST OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE WE HAVE "UNDER GOD" IN OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGEIANCE... AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER LAW SUIT THAT ALLOWS THIS SAME IDIOT FIGHT THE FACT OUR MONEY SAYS "IN GOD WE TRUST"

BOY, BOY, BOY.... DO I EVER FEEL FOR OUR NEW GENERATION COMMING UP.... NO WONDER THEY ARE ALL SO VERY CONFUSED.

MY LOVE
DONNA

You are so very right Donna...couldn't have said it better myself!
I think it comes down to many people in power know exactly what is wrong w/our country, but don't care enough to take the steps necessary to make things better. So instead of that, they take on the "trivial" things like that lawsuit about the Pledge & the "In God We Trust" on the money.
People like all of us that want to do something & make those major changes don't have the money or the power to do it.
Makes me so sad the way our country is headed...

I don't like that they are taking the pledge out of school. From kindergarten to 6th grade my school said the pledge and a prayer before lunch.

I was listening to a friend of mine who has a radio show in the morning. He was talking about the government is just listening to 1 person instead of millions of people. If one person can change the rules with the government, then why can't I complain to them to change the rules to let Billy out of prison--will they listen to me? No!! So why should they listen to this guy?

Well, in my state they take Christmas off from school--that's a religeous holiday--will they change that too? Make these children go to school on Christmas.

My mom says, that is why the world is in the shape that it is. They've taken God out of everything. Seperation of church and state was supposed to keep government out of religion, not the other way around. Are they going to ban the Declaration of Independence too? Doesn't it have God in it once or twice?

Besides, this guy says that he's going to try and take In God We Trust off the money. Well, he likes this money enough to buy everything that he has.

I'm fuming because I totally think it's wrong!!

I am not downing anyone's believe but when it comes to something that simple they guy is just being petty... the school system is not praying they are simply saying the pledge of allegency to our country.. Does he not realize it is to our country not God...

Our Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves!!!!! That mans poor daughter will never have a chance for salvation unless some one else teaches her about God being the reason this country was created in the first place.
Look what taking prayer out of schools has done for our kids. Sex, drugs and weapons in elementary schools!!! I guess next we'll have to have all text books rewritten too, since they talk about our country being founded because of religious persecution. The word God might be in there somewhere. I don't see that ass not spending money now while it still says " In God we trust". How many years has he lived in this country? Why all the sudden is it a problem for him?
Let me stop now. This makes me sooooo mad I could scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the update on this story is that this judge set aside his own ruling until the case goes to the circut court of appeals...how's that for not knowing what in the heck you're doing?!?!

Yeah, he set aside his own ruling because he doesn't know how to do his job---or maybe it's because of the millions and millions of people standing up to him.

The court, hopefully, will stop all this nonsense. It's awful.

My reaction is like Daveswife; this country was discovered by people fleeing religious persecution and so they founded America to be able to practice religion in their interpretation. I think people should be allowed to practice whatever their beliefs are if it's peacefulbut shouldn't be allowed to infringe on these cornerstone declarations. Maybe the court/government should invite this guy to leave the U.S.since he disagrees with our foundation to the point of trying to restructure these things. Tell him to create a country founded on atheism. I believe antarctica has alot of space available!

LOL, MARY

he does not want to be labeled as the man who ruled againist the pledge of alligence... That is sad.. Guess what set aside or not he is still the judge who ruled it unconstitutional...

LMAO Mary

People like that guy really tick me off! Like it was stated above, this is our country right? This is what we have been brought up on, this is what we believe. If the guy doesn't like it, then maybe he should go somewhere else. Or maybe he should try and start his own country! And, like you all said, he obviously doesn't hate the money enough to stop using it! I am not saying that we all have to believe in the same thing, because that is what makes this county what it is. But, having God in our pledge, and God on our money, is what this country was built on! I can't stand it when people threaten to try and take that away. There are alot of other countries out there with different religious views, maybe he should go to one of them! :)

I vote that this man should be deported to a country that fits his beliefs........
Donna's idea of a democratic vote was a valid possibility, a short time ago.
But the Great Honorable US Supreme Court threw out the validity of elections by selecting our President.
This country is definitely on a self-destruction runway...
and with nothing less than a massive turn around it may happen much quicker than any of us can imagine.
Jerry