Frances Bellamy; Freemason, socialist, Baptist preacher wrote Pledge of Allegiance

Frances Bellamy; Freemason, socialist, Baptist preacher.

Pledge writer probably wouldn't mind removal of under God, family says

Staff report

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Descendants of the man who authored the Pledge of Allegiance say he probably wouldn't mind the removal of the words "under God" because he wouldn't have wanted them added in the first place. Scott Bellamy, 49, who owns a sandwich shop in a Memphis suburb, says his great-grandfather, Francis Bellamy, a socialist editor and Baptist minister, had clear reasons behind every word of the original pledge he wrote in 1892.

Francis Bellamy protested even the addition of "the United States of America" on Flag Day in 1924, believing the pledge as he wrote it did not need changing. "If he didn't want 'the United States of America' in the pledge, he wouldn't have wanted 'under God,"' Scott Bellamy told The Commercial Appeal of Memphis. Wednesday, a federal appeals court in California found reciting the pledge in public schools was unconstitutional because the words "under God" inserted by Congress in 1954 amount to government endorsement of religion. The ruling ignited a storm of criticism and was put on hold. Shortly before his death in 1931, Francis Bellamy wrote a letter to his 10-year-old grandson - Scott Bellamy's father - explaining how he wrote the pledge originally for schoolchildren. He said that in 1892 he was an associate editor of Youth's Companion magazine and was chosen to prepare an official program to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in America.

He said President Benjamin Harrison asked him "to write his proclamation for this national celebration in which I put the words 'On that day let the national flag float over every schoolhouse in the land and the exercises be such as to teach patriotism."' If flags were to fly over the schools, he felt the official program should include a salute to the flag. Beginning with the first words "I pledge allegiance to my flag," the next question was why, he wrote. He said he felt the flag stood for the republic, which he described as "one nation, indivisible" by the Civil War. He closed by illustrating the idea that united Americans - "liberty and justice for all."

The original pledge wording was: "I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands: one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Francis Bellamy first heard it recited on Columbus Day in 1892 when 6,000 high school boys in Boston "roared it out" in unison, he said. Francis Bellamy wrote that he later learned that the pledge was adopted by the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the Daughters of the Revolution and the Elks. Today, Scott Bellamy's son, Brad Bellamy, 20, is proud of his patriotic ancestor. "I think it's awesome. I always have," Brad Bellamy said.

He knows of the Flag Day celebrations that family members have attended as guests, along with honors, like an uncle's recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at a Republican national convention in the 1960s. Brad Bellamy, who recited the pledge at a Millington Flag Day celebration when he was 6, said he would like for "under God" to stay in the pledge. "But the way the country is now, you're going to step on somebody's toes no matter what you do," said Brad Bellamy, a junior majoring in history at Harding University in Arkansas.

However, both Bellamys said they will support any decision about the pledge made by the U.S. Supreme Court. "I'm a Christian and I believe I have a right to feel that way," Scott Bellamy said. "But we have to respect how other people feel. If the Supreme Court rules it is unconstitutional, I'll respect the law of the land."

Civil liberties institute leader says Supreme Court appeal of Pledge vote could be close

By KEVIN CASTLE

The president of an institute that defends civil liberties and human rights nationwide says "swing votes'' will determine if the Pledge of Allegiance is ruled unconstitutional by the nation's highest court. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional because of the words "under God" inserted by Congress in 1954. The court's 2-1 decision holds that the phrase "one nation under God" amounts to a government endorsement of religion in violation of the separation of church and state.

If the ruling stands it would mean school children could no longer recite the pledge, at least in the nine Western states covered by the court. In a telephone interview from his home in Charlottesville, Va., Rutherford Institute President John Whitehead told the Times-News Wednesday that the decision by the 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals has ramifications that could change the legal and social landscape. "I think that it's a case that is bigger than the case itself and the issues surrounding it,'' said Whitehead. "If it was to get to the Supreme Court and be upheld, the Declaration of Independence would be automatically tossed out because it says that our creator endows us with certain rights.

" ‘In God We Trust' is on the coins and we're forced to carry that around in our pockets. The thing to remember is that a child is mentioned in this case. Her father says that she is being forced to listen to a word that abhors her and that is the word God.'' If the case is appealed to the Supreme Court, Whitehead says that the vote would be close based on past decisions made by some of the justices residing on the bench. "Your talking about a close case based on a few swing votes, probably (Anthony) Kennedy and (Sandra Day) O'Connor,'' Whitehead said. "You've got judges like (David) Souter and (Ruth Bader) Ginsburg who would automatically be against it, giving you a close vote. I think you've got a 5 to 4 decision for it.

"I don't know, if you can convince O'Connor that it was an endorsement of religion, which is her test. She might go the other way.'' Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore's comments were ones of disappointment. He said although the ruling had no bearing on the laws in the Commonwealth, it does effect the state and nation as a whole. "We are in this new reality because we were attacked for being Americans, and I find it incomprehensible that children are being told that the Constitution forbids them from being patriotic,'' the attorney general said in a prepared statement. "Today, my advice to the public schools of Virginia is to continue reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has no jurisdiction here, but this ruling is an affront to all Americans." Last year, then-Gov. Jim Gilmore signed into law legislation that requires all school boards in Virginia to have their system's students learn and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. (Note: Gilmore is the pawn of Pat Robertson)

A provision in the law allows youngsters to opt out of the reciting if their parent or legal guardian objects to it based on religious, philosophical or other grounds. U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., told the Times-News that the appeals court decision will not stand if and when it reaches the Supreme Court. "The decision was a divided decision. It will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and it will be reversed," Boucher said. "The first amendment does require that government take no step to favor any particular religion. That is such a minor reference to specific religions, in my view it would not constitute the establishment of a religion by the U.S. government.'' Delegate Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, stated in his remarks about the decision that the very court that deemed the pledge unconstitutional because of one main word probably opened its session Wednesday with the same word.

"We open our courts with the phrase ‘God save our honorable court.' The Constitution doesn't require that God be taken out of everything that has anything to do with government,'' said Delegate Kilgore. State Sen. William Wampler, Jr., R-Bristol, said he found the decision "puzzling." (Note: here is a man that gave $25,000 tax-dollars to a local company and doesn't even know what they will use it for!) "I guess as with the moment of silence we have here in Virginia, you could opt out of the mandatory Pledge of Allegiance, but I think it is pretty good practice. Our country is faced with a lot of difficult situations today. I don't think a court of appeals declaring the pledge unconstitutional is something that we should focus on,'' said Wampler.

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Updated 10/21/03