This Is Not the Pledge of Allegiance
I'm a Knight of Columbus. We have many objectives, however two inherent aspects of our organization, in the United States at least, is the defence of the unborn and patriotism. I've noticed something intruiging about how my local council begins their meetings. We begin with the Pledge of Allegiance, however most append a simple sentence: "born and unborn". I'd like to talk about this.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all,
born and unborn,
This is the full pledge they say at our meetings. However, if you notice, this is not the Pledge of Allegiance to The Flag of the United States.
It is small, and I understand completely why people include it, but it is the symbolism equivlent of a bootleg.
What is The Pledge?
The Pledge of Allegiance was signed into law in 1942 under President Roosevelt where it now sits under the U.S. Flag Code (Title 4 U.S.C. § 4) and was later ammended in 1954 under President Eisenhower (see next section). This means the words we recite in our classrooms and town meetings are legally defined and protected under federal law. It cannot be changed without an Act of Congress (again, see below).
A pledge is a shared civic covenent. Its purpose is to unite many individuals under one roof. This why it is integeral that is remains consistent.
In our example, the intent of ammending "born and unborn" to the Pledge is to swear to protect every human life from conception to natural death. Catholic theology and American ideals already declare that "all" includes every human being. Adding qualifiers actually weakens the absolute power of the word by implying that "all" was not sufficient.
Let's Talk History
As mentioned above, in 1954, Congress ratified an ammendment to the original 1942 Pledge and was signed by President Eisenhower. What was the ammendment, you may ask? Two words: "under God."
And who spearheaded that national campaign? The Knights of Columbus.
In the 1950s, the Soviet Union, now a nuclear superpower, was quickly rivaling the United States. Communism, more specifically Stalinism, is inherently an atheistic ideology. Its goal is to have the state be the absolute supreme authority—God need not apply. To challenge the godless state, Congress amended the Flag Code to specify that the one nation is indivisible under God.
Personally speaking, this was the wrong move. Our God is not some term that should be weaponized for geopolitical tongue-sticking. However, if you know me, you will always hear me say "under God" during the Pledge. Why? Because it is, by legal definition, the Pledge.
What's Wrong With a Custom Version?
You may be thinking in this moment, "Geez, it's just a simple personal motto, don't crack an egg over it!" To rectify this, we have to read into the principle behind it very carefully.
Imagine sitting at Mass. The priest is up their preparing to consecrate the Host, when he suddenly looks up from his Missal and adds "Do this in memory of me... and remember that the boiler fund collection is next Sunday". You would be rightfully appalled. We instinctively understand why tampering with the liturgy is wrong. Why, then, do we think it’s fine to treat our shared civic oaths with that exact same carelessness?
The moment we decide we can edit a codified national pledge to include our favorite cause, we open the door for anyone else to do the same.
Conclusion
It is not to be understated how important the mission to protect human life is. Defending the unborn is a vital Catholic and social duty. That cannot be debated or abandoned. But that fight belongs in our prayers, community support, pregnancy centers, and laws and not in bootlegging a civic pledge.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen once reminded us that patriotism is a moral virtue rooted in piety and reverence for rightful order. It demands discipline, not novelty. If we wish to honor our nation and defend the vulnerable, we don't do it by taking liberties with our country's sacred civic promises.
The phrase "with liberty and justice for all" does not need our additions, our caveats, or our local remixes. Under Catholic teaching and American ideals, "all" already demands the absolute defense of every single human being from conception to natural death.
Our duty as Americans is not to edit the nation's promise. Our duty is to have the courage to live up to it.