In a straightforward and compelling new piece, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) makes the case that “with only 31 words, the Pledge of Allegiance is one of the most powerful expressions of unity among fellow Americans.”
And unity, the congressman adds, “is in short supply in this country these days.”
Buck’s remarks appear in a new op-ed published on Tuesday in the Washington Examiner, a week after Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee “rejected an amendment to the committee rules that members spend 20 seconds reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before business begins,” as Buck noted.
A reasonable person must ask: What is wrong with taking a few seconds to recite a beautiful and important pledge before the start of the people’s business?
And didn’t the new president make a case for “unity” in America during his inaugural address just a few weeks ago?
Related: We Must Guard Our Speech if We Are to Preserve Our Rights
“My Republican colleagues,” adds Buck in his piece, “were correct to view the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance as one small, but important, way we could reestablish a spirit of unity. The Democrats on the committee, however, disagree,” continues Buck.
“Jerry Nadler, the chairman, said this activity is ‘unnecessary,’” Buck goes on. “In fact, caught on a hot mic, several House Democrats further mocked the idea. The recording includes what sounds like Rep. Steve Cohen [Democrat from Tennessee] ridiculing the proposal, making the absurd comparison between saying the Pledge of Allegiance and ducking under school desks during Cold War-era bomb drills.”
Buck notes about the Democratic objections, “The real issue is not that this recitation of the pledge would waste valuable committee time, but, instead, that the pledge, both in its words and its effects, flies in the face of the progressives’ agenda” in 2021.
(Read Buck’s full piece here.)
Related: ‘Our Freedom Comes from God,’ Says Franklin Graham
Last week, Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) called out the Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee for their actions as well, as the Examiner reported.
Elected representatives, said Owens, should take the “15 seconds to show our kids that … we can agree to disagree, but we love our country enough to at least stand and represent our flag. Let’s stand, let’s pledge our flag … and then we will be an example of what unity looks like.”
Owens noted that during his NFL playing days, his eyes would well up while he listened to the singing or playing of the national anthem before games—unlike “guys making $50 million today” who will “not stand for the flag because they’ve been taught by their adults not to love our nation.”
See these tweets below for further information and reaction.
Share your thoughts on this story and other news stories on Christian News Journal’s Facebook page here.
For more news and stories of the day from Christian News Journal, click here.
This article was written by Maureen Mackey, a writer, editor, and web content strategist.