Note from Woody

An editorial note to my friends on Facebook and Woody’s World: I use these forums to express my own thoughts and opinions on everything that occurs to me. Well, not Everything. Even I don’t have the courage to go into some waters. I really appreciate the fact that many of you read what I write and some are moved to comment. It is my choice to allow comments on essays is Woody’s World, and my choice to allow anyone in particular or everyone in general to comment on my musings, many of which are related to Woody’s World, on Facebook.

I mostly enjoy the back and forth that is sometimes generated and the pointed comments that sometimes fly. I hope you all remember, though, that these forums are my place to sound off, or pontificate or tell lies (which I don’t do but reserve the right to do so in the name of literary license) or act as a repeater for others. I do get uneasy when my threads are co-opetd for competing views that go way beyond comment and become threads in themselves. An example of this might be an essay of mine that comments on the role of conservative school boards in the dumbing down of science in favor of some religious text. Any reader is invited to chime in with a comment or two, but a full-fledged attack followed by arguments pro and con is better saved for the commenter to publish his or her own blog essay and reference it on my pages. See? My pages, my ideas. Your pages, your ideas?

In other words, keep the cards and letters coming, but publish the tomes on your own pages and invite people to read and comment. You can always block people you don’t like, or even defriend them. Jump into the deep end and express your own views in your own right. It really is fun and helps clarify the thought process. Just getting the image you want can be a real bitch sometimes, too.

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New Motto and New Pledge

I suggest that we begin to consider a new phrase on our money, and a new line in the Pledge of Allegiance.

First the money. The phrase “In God We Trust” has been on coinage since 1864 and was added to all US paper currency in1957 after congress adopted it as the national motto. I suggest that in 50 years or less, after the holocaust of global climate change is undeniable, it be changed to “In God We Trusted”.

Then the Pledge. The original pledge went like this:

'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' He (Bellamy) considered placing the word, 'equality,' in his Pledge, but knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans. [ * 'to' added in October, 1892.] 1.

It has been changed a few times since, and by the early 1950’s the pressure was on for another change. This time the change would take the form of a purposeful ignoring of the Constitution. Under pressure from many religious organizations, including the powerful Knights of Columbus, and with the strong support of President Eisenhower (raised a Jehovah’s Witness and baptized a Presbyterian in the White House) the words “one nation under God” were added.
I propose that in 50 years or less that phrase be changed to “one nation under Water”, and the following be added: “with life preservers and fishing rods for all”.

1.http://oldtimeislands.org/pledge/pledge.htm . Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931), a Baptist minister, wrote the original Pledge in August 1892.

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