In the 50's, politicians were falling all over themselves trying to prove that they were not "godless" commies. In 1956 a joint resolution passed by congress and signed by Eisenhower adopted "In God We Trust" to replace "e Pluribus Unum," which had been the de facto motto since 1782, on our currency.
In 1954 "under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance. As this violated the separation of church and state, the Pledge eventually could no longer be used in public schools.
The sermon that convinced Eisenhower to modify the Pledge also had "An atheistic American is a contradiction in terms.” There was also the wonderful view that “If you deny the Christian ethic, you fall short of the American ideal of life.”
And now we have the wearing of flag pins by politicians to prove their patriotism. In the 70's, politicians used it as a symbol of patriotic solidarity against anti-Vietnam protesters. It again became popular after 9/11. Not wearing the flag shows that you are unpatriotic and that you don't love your country; that you must be a socialist or communist. It doesn't matter if wearing the flag pin doesn't do anything, doesn't protect workers or consumers or the environment or the poor or the sick and disabled or the elderly or children or vets.
Symbolism is valued more than actions. Anything done to help people is said to be just coddling them, making them dependent, is touchy-feely, is socialism, is the spending of tax dollars on welfare queens and the lazy. Regulations are anti-jobs, stifling American innovation, just part of a nanny state.
Wear the flag pin and prove your patriotism and love of country. To not wear the pin shows that you hate your country and soldiers and vets and police and success and religion and traditional marriage and unborn babies. Not wearing the pin shows that you are not a true American. Whatever that is.
Wear the flag pin and show that you have ethics and values and morals and biblical righteousness and fiscal sanity and are not a cheater and not a greedy person. And then go to church and be absolved of your sins; go out and lie and cheat and steal some more because Jesus loves you. And atheists and worshipers of other religions are not what the founding fathers approved of, so take off those flag pins because you are not part of our Christian America.
So sayeth the hypocrites.
In 1954 "under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance. As this violated the separation of church and state, the Pledge eventually could no longer be used in public schools.
The sermon that convinced Eisenhower to modify the Pledge also had "An atheistic American is a contradiction in terms.” There was also the wonderful view that “If you deny the Christian ethic, you fall short of the American ideal of life.”
And now we have the wearing of flag pins by politicians to prove their patriotism. In the 70's, politicians used it as a symbol of patriotic solidarity against anti-Vietnam protesters. It again became popular after 9/11. Not wearing the flag shows that you are unpatriotic and that you don't love your country; that you must be a socialist or communist. It doesn't matter if wearing the flag pin doesn't do anything, doesn't protect workers or consumers or the environment or the poor or the sick and disabled or the elderly or children or vets.
Symbolism is valued more than actions. Anything done to help people is said to be just coddling them, making them dependent, is touchy-feely, is socialism, is the spending of tax dollars on welfare queens and the lazy. Regulations are anti-jobs, stifling American innovation, just part of a nanny state.
Wear the flag pin and prove your patriotism and love of country. To not wear the pin shows that you hate your country and soldiers and vets and police and success and religion and traditional marriage and unborn babies. Not wearing the pin shows that you are not a true American. Whatever that is.
Wear the flag pin and show that you have ethics and values and morals and biblical righteousness and fiscal sanity and are not a cheater and not a greedy person. And then go to church and be absolved of your sins; go out and lie and cheat and steal some more because Jesus loves you. And atheists and worshipers of other religions are not what the founding fathers approved of, so take off those flag pins because you are not part of our Christian America.
So sayeth the hypocrites.
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