David and a bunch of other people seem to have misunderstood the recent court case on the Pledge.

It's not about making it mandatory. Students can still say the pledge. It's not banned. What is banned is the school (a public, government-funded institution) endorsing these notions by leading and arranging a pledge recitation.

It's about a government institution endorsing a particular set of religous beliefs: theism, monotheism, and the U.S.A. as a god-endorsed country. Even if you agree with each of these beliefs, think you would feel if the phrase was changed to "under the gods", or "under Buddha". Wouldn't like it, would you?

How about we remove the phrase? Schools can then keep arranging the pledge, legally. I would still argue that it shouldn't be made mandatory, but that's for another posting.