Ya' know, I'd be all for inserting "with tolerance and understanding for all" instead.......It fits with the rest of the idealistic nature of the Pledge as something nice we'd like to believe about ourselves.

In my little conservative village here, the elementary school has Christmas plays, Christian based. The principal who grew up here and has been the principal for over 20 years openly said from the stage one year that he "knew the community wouldn't mind" the type of skits and plays being done. There are probably only about three non-Christian families here so no one objects. I could of course.....but what would be the point? My son Michael hasn't been harmed by this and we talk when he wants to about what I believe versus what they do in school. I don't put down the school or the religious based aspects of his education but I suggest that other people may believe otherwise and here's some examples. As he gets older we'll continue to talk at age appropriate levels about ethics and morals and beliefs....because that is a parent's job. Some kids would be more troubled by this than Michael I suppose, but so far it hasn't hurt him that I can see.

Now I have talked to my friend Rick, the principal, about it and as long as no one is signing him up for baptism, it's still okay. Rick and I disagree, but even this card carrying ACLU member can have some tolerance as long as he's doing his job as a principal and I mine as a parent......and for the most part, we're happy with each other's performance.

Spaw