As we approach the Fourth of July Independence Day we see the American flag proudly displayed and are reminded of the sacrifice of all those who have fought to protect our liberties and our great nation.

The recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is a time-honored tradition a celebration of our nations history and heritage. However, this act of patriotic expression continues to come under attack. The City Council in Eugene, Oregon, recently voted to ban the voluntary recitation of the Pledge at all but four council meetings each year. One council member even compared the Pledge of Allegiance to The Communist Manifesto.

This new attack comes just days after NBC removed the words under God from the Pledge in their U.S. Open broadcast.

We cannot stand idly by while the symbols of our heritage are stripped. The ACLJ is taking action, sending a letter to the City Council of Eugene, Oregon urging them to reinstate the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance before every City Council meeting.

Will you stand with us and sign our Letter of Support for the Pledge of Allegiance?

In addition, Eugenes City Council voted to postpone one of the four allowed recitations of the Pledge until after Independence Day, stating the Pledge was too divisive. Some members of the City Council claim that the Pledge does not unite us that it divides us. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In our letter, we also explain that the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in the public arena does not violate the First Amendment. In fact the Supreme Court of the United States has unequivocally recognized that the Pledge of Allegiance evolved as a common public acknowledgement of the ideals that our flag symbolizes. Its recitation is a patriotic exercise designed to foster national unity and pride in those principles.

We must remain vigilant to protect our patriotic heritage from attacks whether theyre coming from the media, atheists groups, or elected officials.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our nation, lets send a strong message that patriotic expression should be celebrated, not censored. Please sign our Letter of Support for the Pledge today.

Thank you for standing with the ACLJ in support of the Pledge of Allegiance and our nations heritage. Your efforts really do have a tremendous impact.

I wish you a very happy Independence Day weekend.

Sincerely,

Jay Sekulow
ACLJ Chief Counsel

P.S. If you have not already done so, please visit the all new ACLJ.org. There are some exciting new tools and in-depth news and information to keep you better informed and allow you to better engage the issues that matter most to you.