Saturday, July 02, 2011

2 from The Imaginative Conservative for Independence Day

Town Born! Turn Out! In New England, Independence Was a Fact Long Before the Declaration of Independence by John Willson

The Pledge of Allegiance Must Go by By Steve Klugewicz

Mr. Klugewicz offers an alternative to the Pledge of Allegiance, the "Pledge to Liberty," which states "I pledge allegiance to liberty, the greatest of all earthly blessings." I find that claim exceedingly problematic, even if might be a traditional part of American political rhetoric. (Is it?)

Political liberty as self-rule is a good, one that might even be owed in justice to a community or polis, but it is nonetheless not the highest temporal good.
Do we need such pledges or oaths? In the past would citizens have made a vow to the god(s) to be good loyal citizens? That seems to be much better, though repeating it everyday may make tiresome and too much of an empty exhibition (for most people?).

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