Throughout most of American history, nobody thought twice about reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. It was routinely said in schools and government meetings, and it was seen as a symbol of unity and pride.

That’s pretty standard across the world; each country has similar patriotic and nationalistic traditions. However, the Pledge has come under heavy scrutiny in recent years.

And when one Democrat refused to recite it during a House meeting, one Republican proudly fought back.

It happened during this week’s House Judiciary Committee hearing, when Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) halted Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) request to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Gaetz submitted an amendment to say the Pledge at the outset of every meeting, and Nadler opposed it, saying:

…we pledge allegiance every day on the floor and I don’t know why we should pledge allegiance twice in the same day, to show how patriotic we are.

Essentially, Nadler is saying there’s no reason to repeat the Pledge, despite the fact that we’re talking about two different situations in the chamber.

And the excuse wasn’t flying with Rep. Gaetz. His response, obtained exclusively by The Daily Caller, was full of patriotic fury:

Standing for the American flag isn’t controversial. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance isn’t a waste of time.

Democrats are so outraged at the idea of a daily dose of patriotism that they spent 30 minutes ranting and raving in opposition.

Congress cannot expect the American people to believe they are fighting for their values when they don’t even care to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Unbelievable. @RepJerryNadler just said he opposes @RepMattGaetz's offer to say the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE before Judiciary Committee meetings. pic.twitter.com/ynaw3Wqoz6

— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) February 1, 2023

Republican North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop added that “it’s absurd Democrats on the committee don’t even want to say the Pledge of Allegiance.”

This reminded many Americans of a similar moment back in 2021, when Democrats in the House Judiciary committee appeared to mock Gaetz’s request to recite the Pledge at the start of hearings.

Critics of the Pledge say it features problematic language, like “one nation under God,” because it basically discriminates against those who don’t believe in God, or have another religion.

Others claim it’s about “toxic patriotism” or imperialism, though neither of those claims seem to hold much water when examining the actual words.

And the consistent pushback against the Pledge by left-wing politicians and activists hasn’t stopped, and leaves a bad taste in the mouths of other citizens. The latter says there’s no reason to drop the Pledge.

For the most part, it’s already gone in schools — perhaps the next step is eliminating it entirely from the U.S. government.

Key Takeaways:

• Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler opposed the idea of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before hearings in the House Judiciary Committee.
• Rep. Matt Gaetz responded quickly, saying “standing for the flag is not controversial.”
• North Carolina Republican Dan Bishop added that it’s “absurd” for Democrats to refuse the request.

Source: The Daily Caller

Ben Dutka

Ben S. Dutka is a journalist, writer and editor with over two decades of experience. He has worked with three newspapers and eight online publications, and he has also won a Connecticut short story contest entitled Art as Muse, Imaginary Realms. He has a penchant for writing, rowing, reading, video games, and Objectivism.

Ben S. Dutka is a journalist, writer and editor with over two decades of experience. He has worked with three newspapers and eight online publications, and he has also won a Connecticut short story contest entitled Art as Muse, Imaginary Realms. He has a penchant for writing, rowing, reading, video games, and Objectivism.