Pledge backed

I am writing in response to Debra Bolin’s letter that was published Dec. 29 (“Keep church, state separate”).

Even though I am not in school, I manage to take the time to recite the pledge of allegiance as a way of showing my gratitude for being a native-born citizen of this great nation known as the United States of America.

As for the phrase “under God” that is included in the pledge of allegiance, those two words were introduced to the pledge as an idea by ordinary Americans in the late 1940s and were later implemented in the 1950s (specifically, Flag Day, June 14, 1954), during the height of the Cold War era as a way to differentiate the U.S. from the concept of state atheism that was promoted by communist countries and other socialist nations in several other parts of the world.

From my viewpoint, there is nothing in the pledge of allegiance that promotes religion but an oath that describes loyalty to the United States of America. It may be a solemn oath but not a religious rite of any kind.

In February 2015, for example, a New Jersey Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit from the American Humanist Association that was brought against the Matawan-AberdeenSchool District; the judge said that the reference to God in the pledge is more of a declaration of patriotism than it is of religious beliefs.

In other words, the pledge does not violate anyone’s rights, whether or not that person believes in God, and anyone can refrain from saying the words “under God” or skip the pledge altogether whenever they want to.

After all, should every president be held accountable for violating church and state when each one of them concluded the oath of office with the words “so help me God” on Inauguration Day from centuries past? Let freedom ring.

Roberto Lopez

McAllen

Biden called

ally of Putin

We all know that Vladimir Putin is delusional. He wants to crush Ukraine at any cost. He has a cohort in the U.S. Yes! Joe Biden.

Let’s face facts. First thing Joe does is cancel a key pipeline. After that he cancels fracking on federal land. Last of all, lots of jobs. Oh, don’t worry about the jobs. We are going to create lots of Green New Deal jobs.

It used to be that when you quit one job, you made sure you had another. Where are all these oil workers today? Maybe they’re making sunflowers.

Biden and the squad are going to save the world by eliminating fossil fuels. We won’t need fossil fuels. We have the sun, the wind and electrical cars. In no time at all, we will be eliminating gas guzzlers.

Another delusion, Joe, all the truckers will have electrical trucks and all the electric stations will be up and running in no time.

In the meantime, with our production down, we will ask the Saudis to help us. Then we will buy oil from Russia. Putin needs the money to crush Ukraine.

While we are at it, let’s support Iran. I’m sure they need the money for their nuclear project. Kill the infidels.

Let’s face it: Joe wants to force the American people with high gas prices, food shortages and inflation to fall in line.

How dare they not want my Green New Deal, climate control, and my outlandish Build Back Better bills.

By the way, Biden might think Hunter Biden is the smartest man he knows (his words). I think Biden is the dumbest dad I know. Sorry, Hunter’s off limits just like Trump’s kids.

Joseph Knollmaier

Peñitas