UUA President Issues Statement on Pledge of Allegiance

(Boston, MA - June 18, 2004) On June 14, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the case of Elk Grove vs. Newdow on the grounds that Newdow did not have standing to challenge the constitutionality of the pledge on behalf of his daughter. (He is not her custodial parent.) The Court sidestepped the question of whether the inclusion of the words "under God" in the Pledge are "an impermissible endorsement of religion," as the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in June, 2002.

The Rev. William G. Sinkford, President of the UUA, today issued this statement on the pledge:

"There is no country on the planet that is religiously more pluralistic than ours. And there is no principle more central to our Constitution than the right to the free exercise of religion-the first guarantee in our Bill of Rights.

"The debate over the inclusion of the words 'under God' in the pledge raises questions about what it means to be an American, what it means to be patriotic. While the language of God is an affirmation for many, it is not language that resonates with all Americans. But the metaphor we use for the holy has nothing to do with our patriotism; and in a nation as religiously varied as ours, the assumption that any one metaphor should serve for everyone is mistaken. Our pluralism is a blessing, and 'justice for all' requires that we carefully protect the religious freedom of all.

"The original pledge was recited for many decades without any religious reference, until Congress added the words 'under God' in 1954. The American Unitarian Association objected to their addition at that time, at its 120th Annual Meeting, as 'an invasion of religious liberty'; and it is only those words that the Ninth Circuit ruling struck down.

"While the Supreme Court has chosen not to address this issue in the context of this case, we hope that a future court case will result in a decision to restore the original wording of the pledge."

Background: The Pledge of Allegiance: One Nation, under God?

For further information on this issue, please contact John Hurley, UUA director of information, at 617-948-6131 or jhurley@uua.org.

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