The increased police presence in the downtown area, due to Project Rio Grande, has me thinking about the first amendment. One could consider the circle with a star inside it, an endorsement by the state, of paganism/Wicca.
While the symbol worn by police officers (which represents protection), does not bother me personally; I'm mystified that those who claim separation of church state are not all over this display of a known pagan symbol, being adorned by law enforcement at all levels of government.
If I were to take myself seriously and remove all symbols of paganism from public life, my task would be endless. What I am advocating is tolerance of all symbols and means of expression, rather than removal of any.
Addressing a rumor I heard, even if it's true, learning about Islam in public school classrooms (under the guise of cultural studies) does not bother me; as long as other beliefs (including those of the predominant religion), can be discussed in the same way- as part of our history and culture.
The Pledge of Allegiance was originally written by Francis Bellamy in 1892, but at the time, it did not include the phrase “under God.” The author wanted the pledge to be used worldwide, but it ended up becoming a staple to just America instead.
It wasn’t until 1954, during the communist uprising, that President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to make a change to unite the American people "under God," UShistory.org notes. The revised wording is still used widely in public schools today but is hotly contested by both religious and atheist parties.
Source: UShistory.org | Date Updated: January 9, 2020
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