Pledge of Allegiance-commemoration.

WORKING DRAFT
2014
STATE OF
WYOMING
14LSO-0364

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
NO.
HJ0003

Pledge of Allegiance-commemoration.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Hutchings, Esquibel, K., Filer, Freeman, McKim, Piiparinen and Winters and Senator(s) Nutting

A Bill

for

A JOINT RESOLUTION
to
commemorat
e
the year 2014 as the sixtieth anniversary of the addition of the phrase
"
under God
"
to the Pledge of Allegiance and to highlight
its
legacy to Wyoming citizens
and all Americans
as a remind
er that America was founded on Christian
principles.

WHEREAS,

on February 10, 1954, a bill to
"
amend the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America
"
by inserting the words
"
under God
"
was introduced in a Joint Resolution by Senator Homer Ferguson, Republican from
Michigan.
In 1953, the same proposal was made by Representative Louis Rabaut, Democrat from Michigan; and

WHEREAS, February 10, 1954, was chosen as the date to introduce the bill by Senator Ferguson to recognize the
five

year anniversary of the imprisonment of Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty of Hungary, who was imprisoned and tortured
by c
ommunists for hi
s sermons exposing the goal of c
ommunism to eradicate all religion; and

WHEREAS, speeches were delivered in Congress by members of both political parties, honoring Cardinal Mindszenty and emphasizing
the threat posed to America by c
ommunism; and

WHEREAS, upon introduction of the bill, Senator Ferguson commented,
"
I believe this modification of the pledge is important because it highlights one of the real fundamental differences
between the free world and the c
ommunist world, namely, belief in God,
"
furthering that with,
"
Our nation is founded on a fundamental belief in God, and the first and most important r
eason for the existence of our g
overnment is to protect the G
od

given rights of our citizens
"
; and

WHEREAS, the vote to add
"
under God
"
to the United States Pledge of Allegiance was a unanimous vote; and

WHEREAS, on February 7, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower became convinced that adding the words,
"
under
God,
"
to the United States Pledge of Allegiance would be the right thing to do after hearing Reverend George
Docherty preach that the phrase
"
nation under God
"
was first used in
the Gettysburg Address and was
appropriate to be added to the United States Pledge of Allegiance because freedom
"
is defined by a fundamental belief i
n God
"
; and

WHEREAS, the first time the United States Pledge of Allegiance was recited with the phrase
"
under God
"
was on Flag Day, June 14, 1954; and

WHEREAS, The Pledge of Allegiance is an integral part of this nation
'
s identity, introduced to American children in their primary years and recited at major national events, and the inclusion of
"
under God
"
to its bold and moving language demonstrates our commitment to the spiritual values on which the United States was founded
.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING:

Section 1
.

That the
year 2014 be commemorated and recognized as the
sixtie
th anniversary of
the addition of the words

"
under God
"
in the Pledge of Allegiance
a
nd
that
Wyoming
citizens
be
encouraged to learn more about this chapter in their history.

Section 2.
That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution to
the Governor of

Wyoming
and
to the W
yoming Congressional Delegation and
issue a press release to the media containing the full text of this resolution
.

(END)
1

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