As this Sunday is Flag Day, we would do well to reflect on the 31 words that make up our Pledge of Allegiance. 

And, if you’re like me, you first memorized it in elementary school and repeated it, hand over heart, at the beginning of every day in the classroom. 

Today, our City Council, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency board, and William S. Hart Union High School District meetings all begin with those in the room standing and reciting a solemn pledge dating back to 1892. 

Originally, it began with a pledge to “my flag,” but was soon changed to specify the intended flag and country as the USA. 

And, during the Eisenhower administration, the phrase “under God” was added to remind our citizenry that this republic was founded on Judeo-Christian principles.  

The pledge is composed of only four simple yet monumental elements:  

1. “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands.” 

For over a hundred years, our fellow citizens – men, women, boys, girls, American-born, and naturalized immigrants – have voiced their intention to be for America. This pledge is a powerful reminder that each of us has a solemn responsibility to live within the law and to use lawful means to address matters that need to be replaced, changed, or added. At its foundation, the pledge is a commitment to build up rather than tear down, to use our strength and talents for the common good.........

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