The criticism of the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States exists on several grounds. Its use in public schools has been the most controversial, as critics contend that a government-sanctioned endorsement of religion violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Critics feel that the pledge is incompatible with democracy and freedom, and suggest that pledges of allegiance are features of totalitarian states like Nazi Germany.
Read more about Criticism Of The Pledge Of Allegiance: Objections On The Grounds of Religion, Other Objections, Matter of Lewis V. Allen, Links To School Prayer Controversy, 2003 District Ruling, 2005 District Ruling, 2006 District Ruling, "Under God" Ruling, General Patterns in Issues of Church and State, Definition of "religious Exercise"
Famous quotes containing the words criticism, pledge and/or allegiance:
“People try so hard to believe in leaders now, pitifully hard. But we no sooner get a popular reformer or politician or soldier or writer or philosopher—a Roosevelt, a Tolstoy, a Wood, a Shaw, a Nietzsche, than the cross-currents of criticism wash him away. My Lord, no man can stand prominence these days. It’s the surest path to obscurity. People get sick of hearing the same name over and over.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)
“I pledge you—I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
“Mine honesty and I begin to square.
The loyalty well held to fools does make
Our faith mere folly; yet he that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fall’n lord
Does conquer him that did his master conquer
And earns a place i’ the story.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)