"Oh beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticides grain And strip mined mountain's majesty, above the asphalt plain America, America Man sheds his waste on thee And hides the pines with billboard signs From sea to oily sea" -- George Carlin

We lost him far too soon.

Fun fact: the US Pledge of Allegiance wasn't always as it currently is:

The original version, known as the Balch Pledge, was created in 1887 by George Balch, and went as follows:

We give our heads and hearts to God and our country; one country, one language, one flag!

Five years later, in 1892, Francis Bellamy created a similar one, known as the Bellamy Pledge, that went as follows:

I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

And all this was merely informal. The "Under God" part wasn't formally a part of the Pledge until 1954.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance?wprov=sfla1

✨BONUS FUN FACT✨

In 1956, "In God We Trust" became the official motto of the United States. It formally replaced "E pluribus unum", which was long the de facto motto of the US.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust?wprov=sfla1

As a side note, I just have to say

FUCK. THIS. BULLSHIT.

Have a great day.

It's been years since I first heard of the pledge of allegiance and to this day it is still totally bewildering to me why you'd do that.

The original Bellamy salute, first described in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, who authored the original Pledge, began with a military salute, and after reciting the words "to the flag," the arm was extended toward the flag.

At a signal from the Principal the pupils, in ordered ranks, hands to the side, face the Flag. Another signal is given; every pupil gives the flag the military salute — right hand lifted, palm downward, to a line with the forehead and close to it. Standing thus, all repeat together, slowly, "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands; one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all." At the words, "to my Flag," the right hand is extended gracefully, palm upward, toward the Flag, and remains in this gesture till the end of the affirmation; whereupon all hands immediately drop to the side.

The Youth's Companion, 1892

Shortly thereafter, the pledge was begun with the right hand over the heart, and after reciting "to the Flag," the arm was extended toward the Flag, palm-down.

In World War II, the salute too much resembled the Nazi salute, so it was changed to keep the right hand over the heart throughout.
- the salute too much resembled the Nazi salute
  
  Resembled? It sounds pretty much identical