‘One nation, under God’

Richard A. Sokerka

Last week, in some caucus meetings at the Democratic National Convention, the words “under God” were omitted in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

That did not sit well with the Knights of Colum­bus who were instrumental in getting the words “under God” added to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said, “Those words express a fundamental belief that we have held as a nation since our founding, that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights.”

He added, “The Knights of Columbus is proud of our instrumental role in persuading Congress to add the words ‘under God’ to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954.”

Anderson’s remarks came on Aug. 20 amid reports that at meetings held as part of the Democratic National Convention, delegates omitted the words “under God” as they led the Pledge of Allegiance. The omissions came during meetings of the DNC’s Muslim caucus and LGBTQ caucus.

The modern form of the Pledge of Allegiance dates back to 1892, and was officially recognized by Congress in 1942. The Knights of Columbus were instrumental in encouraging that the words “under God” to be officially adopted into the Pledge of Allegiance during the Administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower (R).

Along with other groups, the Knights of Columbus advocated for inclusion of the phrase, and in early 1954, Congress passed a bill to do so. President Eisenhower signed the bill into law on Flag Day, June 14, 1954.

Upon signing the words “under God” into law, President Eisenhower said, “In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource, in peace or in war.”

Anderson said the phrase reminds Americans of “a fundamental belief that we have held as a nation since our founding, as expressed by President John F. Kennedy in his Inaugural Address that our rights as Americans ‘come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.’”

The Knights of Columbus are to be commended for immediately reminding all Americans of how important and how meaningful the words ‘under God’ are to our nation, and for keeping a watchful eye on any politician or political party willfully attempting to remove this fundamental belief from the Pledge of Allegiance.