GraniteGrok

There are two snippets that I have committed to memory.  The most highly valued one is this:

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotton Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.   For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:16,17 (King James, as that is how I learned it long ago).

The next one is the United States of America Pledge of Allegiance:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands.  One Nation, under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

There are fewer words that stir me more than saying either of those phrases. One is because of my belief in God and that His hand is on my life and is guiding my life according to His plan.  There IS Someone far greater than I - a truth that our Founding Fathers recognized when they stated that our rights come from Him and not from mere mortals or "the State".  His laws and His rights are immutable.

That means that I will be accountable for my actions (or inactions) and attitudes.

Given that our country was founded on those principles, our Pledge is our acknowledgement, our fealty, to our country, established because of the rights and privileges granted by God.  Acknowledging our patriotism towards our country should be a simple affair.  Some, however, say the Peldge as mere rote - a mere part of a process. 

Every time I say it, though, I think about those words and the ideas and ideals behind those words.

Yes, words mean things and words can and should stir mens' souls. 

Does this mean that I am a better patriot than those to which it is mere words at the beginning of a meeting or of the school day?  No, as someday, they may really think about the meaning and the essence of what they are saying. 

But when I saw this, my thought was "but not these folks".

[snip]

Further proof of this: There was some time to kill as multiple tallies of the delegates and alternates were done, and when the time-killer of taking audience questions had run its course and the idea of teling jokes had been nixed, someone suggested doing the Pledge of Allegiance to pass the time. (Are you listening, right-wing bloggers? This is going to get good.)

At the mere mention of doing the pledge there were groans and boos. Then, when the district chair put the idea of doing the Pledge of Allegiance up to a vote, it was overwhelmingly voted down. One might more accurately say the idea of pledging allegiance to the flag (of which there was only one in the room, by the way, on some delegate’s hat) was shouted down.

my first reaction is: YES, I AM QUESTIONING YOUR PATRIOTISM!  When Democrats believe that the Pledge is not worth their time, and deserves only their scorn (what else can you call it when people VOTE to NOT say the Pledge).  I have HAD it with people who keep redefining words to suit their purposes!

Given that the article stated that most there support Obama, I guess I'm not surprised (e.g., "I am patriotic when I act like I'm not") given the reports about his "patriotism".

Now I'm wound up!  Before I type something intemperate, I'll go off and cool down.  But believe you me, the Liberal / Democrat meme "dissent is patriotism" schtick is a crock!

I'll be back, for more. 

(H/T: Instapundit)