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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, In its original form, the Pledge of Allegiance -
3 written by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist Minister, and first
4 published in the September 8, 1892 issue of the Youth's
5 Companion - read "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the
6 Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with
7 liberty and justice for all"; and
 
8     WHEREAS, With two revisions between 1892 and 1924, the
9 Pledge of Allegiance read "I pledge allegiance to the flag of
10 the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it
11 stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for
12 all"; and
 
13     WHEREAS, On Flag Day, June 14, 1954, after a campaign by
14 the Knights of Columbus and with public support, Congress
15 passed and President Eisenhower signed into law a statute that
16 amended the Pledge of Allegiance to read "one nation under God,
17 indivisible"; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The Pledge of Allegiance (Pledge) is a verbal
19 expression, the effect of which is to instill support for the
20 nation, the flag, and the principles for which the flag stands;
21 its recitation is not a religious exercise; and
 
22     WHEREAS, The Pledge, including the phrase "one Nation under
23 God", reflects the historical fact that a belief in God
24 permeated the founding and development of our Nation; it is a
25 recognition of the fact that many people believe in God and the
26 value that our culture has traditionally placed on the role of
27 religion in our founding and our culture; and
 
28     WHEREAS, The First Amendment to the Constitution embodies
29 principles intended to guarantee freedom of religion both
30 through the free exercise thereof and by prohibiting the

 

 

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1 government establishing a religion; and
 
2     WHEREAS, The Supreme Court has recognized that
3 governmental entities may, consistent with the First
4 Amendment, recognize the religious heritage of America; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Patriotic songs, engravings on U.S. legal tender,
6 and engravings on federal buildings contain general references
7 to "God"; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Congress has consistently supported the Pledge by
9 starting each session with its recitation; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The Pledge is recited, on average, tens of
11 millions of times a day, largely by students in schools across
12 America; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The practice of voluntarily reciting the Pledge in
14 public school classrooms should not only continue but should be
15 encouraged by the policies of Congress, the various states,
16 municipalities, and public school officials; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Those who do not share the beliefs expressed in
18 the Pledge or who do not wish to pledge allegiance to the flag
19 have the right to refrain from its recitation; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The phrase "one Nation under God" reflects that
21 religious faith was central to the Founding Fathers, and thus
22 to the founding of the Nation; therefore, be it
 
23     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
24 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
25 we revere the United States flag and the Pledge of Allegiance;
26 and be it further
 
27     RESOLVED, That we support the continued use of the phrase

 

 

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1 "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.