It was a sad day indeed when it dawned on me last week that I could no longer, in good conscience, recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Ironic isn't it, that a former Texas A&M University Naval cadet and patriotic American citizen should find himself in such a position.

But as I have watched formerly unthinkable events unfold daily in my country and my world, I have come to the realization that our nation's flag no longer stands for the principles upon which this country was founded; those ideas and ideals that made Old Glory great.

The things that cause me distress are legion. Our freedoms are systematically being chipped away and the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our society are under constant assault. Economic, political, social and moral concerns fill the news, and our elected officials - Republican and Democrat alike - have made a series of tragic mistakes. And even though I am not a conspiracy theorist, I can't help but believe that some of these persons are resolutely dedicated to bringing this country to its knees.

Whether these actions stem from ignorance or malicious intent, the end result will surely be the same. Recent events have left me feeling like an alien in my own country; indeed, I doubt that the founding fathers would recognize this land they sacrificed everything for and held so dear.

These things have caused me to reevaluate what I actually believe in, what I truly support and what I am ultimately willing to pledge my allegiance to. And like our founding fathers, when I say "pledge," I mean my life, fortune and sacred honor.

After careful consideration, I have come up with my own pledge. There are only two changes, but they are critical. This is a new pledge for the 21st century, but a pledge firmly imbedded in the very cornerstone of America.

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MY PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

I pledge allegiance
to the Constitution of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands;
one nation under God,
with liberty and justice for all.

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If you are of like mind, you are welcome to use this pledge as your own, and I would encourage you to forward it to other patriots who share our concerns.

May God bless America - and may America bless God.

Kurt Nauck III
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For those of you who feel that the Pledge is a precious part of our American heritage not to be tampered with, may I say that I would have made the same argument myself - a year ago.

But are you aware that the pledge was written in the 1890s? That makes it only half as old as our country. And it has been changed more than once over the years. I believe it is now time for another change.

Pledging allegiance to the flag is ultimately meaningless. The flag doesn't inform, order or guide. It is a symbol only. If you wish to show allegiance to the flag, how do you do that? Do you obey laws passed by a tyrannical assembly, even if they are un-Constitutional? If you're a soldier, do you follow the commands of your CO, even if he's telling you to participate in a UN sponsored mission? If you're a police officer, do you unlawfully confiscate firearms because the President has declared martial law? Pledging allegiance to the flag feels good, but it is nebulous and its interpretation is totally subjective.

Pledging allegiance to the Constitution, however, actually means something. That is a concrete document, the interpretation of which is MUCH less subjective. Men died to establish that document, and men have died to defend it. That is why our military personnel, federal civil servants and elected leaders pledge to defend the Constitution, not the flag.

You will also note that I dropped the word "indivisible." I did that because if our country continues down this path, there may be no choice left but to rise up as our founding fathers did and declare that we aren't going to stand for it any longer. And that will be the measure of a true patriot. Do we fight and sacrifice for liberty, or do we sit back and watch as our precious freedoms, property and future are stripped away from us and our children?

If you are of like mind, you are welcome to use this pledge as your own and forward it to other patriots who share our concerns.

May God bless America - and may America bless God.

Kurt Nauck, III

Kurt Nauck
c/o Nauck's Vintage Records
22004 Sherrod Ln.
Spring, TX 77389

Website: www.78rpm.com
E-Mail: nauck@78rpm.com

Phone: (281) 288-7826
Fax: (425) 930-6862

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