[Vision2020] City Council and the Pledge
Donovan Arnold
donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
Fri Jan 20 23:37:17 PST 2006
John and Nancy,
I want to thank you for having the courage to write Vision2020 and publicly address the issue of the Pledge of Allegiance.
However, I want to say that it saddens my heart and upsets my stomach that you have removed the pledge of allegiance to our flag from your bi-monthly meetings. I strongly believe that this is a step in the wrong direction, particularly at this time.
Granted, the pledge is abused, misused, uttered with content, repetition, and without meaning to many, and its purpose is lost on many more. But regardless, the pledge was meant to illustrate to the public your loyalty to the people. It is a reminder to the corruptible, to politicians that forget why they are there after many years of service, and to those about to cast a vote to spite a political enemy or help a personal friend, that their vote and loyalty belongs to and for all the PEOPLE of Moscow, the people of Idaho, and the people of the United States.
With all of the corruption, back room deals, and dishonest politicians in our mists, I believe it is important that every elected official make a public statement before casting a vote that they acknowledge publicly WHY and for WHO they are casting their vote.
I am sorry to hear, Councilman Dickinson, that saying the pledge twice a month is too much for you. I for one feel that we should be honored to say it at least as much.
The irony here is that we force our children every school day to take a loyalty to the nation when they know not the meaning of the word, and the politicos that need to remind themselves and the people why they are elected to office, excuse themselves from such commitments.
Mayor Cheney, Councilman Dickinson, and the other member of the council, if you feel your oath to this city is unquestionable, if you have unquestionable loyalty to this nation, if you do not question your pride in this nation, then their should be no question to your willingness to say the pledge twice a month that children say five times a week.
Sincerely,
Donovan J Arnold
Proud United States Citizen and Moscow Resident
John Dickinson <johnd at moscow.com> wrote: Visionaries-
I am one of the council members that asked that we not say the pledge of
allegiance to the flag at each council meeting. Before 9/11, the pledge was
said at council meetings that were near special national celebrations, such
as the Fourth of July. Since 9/11, the pledge has been said at each council
meeting. My primary objection to making the pledge pro forma is that it
dilutes its meaning by saying it all the time. It seems similar the singing
the national anthem before baseball games - begun after WWI, I think it
would be more meaningful to sing our national anthem on days of celebration
or on days of national trauma.
If there are some that worry about a council members commitment to city,
county, state and nation - then I think we'd need to have a more inclusive
ritual to begin each meeting, something that included the city, county,
state parts.
Every moment since I was elected two years ago I have felt the weight of
responsibility that I have been granted by the people of this community. It
is a joyous burden to feel. I thank you all for helping to make Moscow a
place I could never leave.
John Dickinson
Moscow City Council
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
> On Behalf Of Phil Nisbet
> Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 7:28 PM
> To: nchaney at moscow.com
> Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: RE: [Vision2020] City Council and the Pledge
>
> Nancy
>
> Just for the sake of the public's right to know, which council members
> exactly felt that the Pledge should not be offered? Not to question their
> feelings or their sincerity, I just think that the public has a right to
> know who exactly among the council feels that the pledge does not belong.
> Then I would ask, did the council vote on removal of the pledge and how
was
> the agenda changed to reflect the change from former procedure?
>
> I guess what I am wondering here is if this is an issue for some
particular
> reason. Does one or more of the council members feel that they can not
> partake in the Pledge of Allegiance due to some specific detail contained
in
> the pledge? Has the whole council decided to alter its conduct to
> accommodate this concern of the few who have a problem?
>
> I mean for all I know the reason somebody does not want to take the pledge
> is because they disagree with the statement "liberty and justice for all".
> Knowing that the council is not loaded down with people who oppose our
> Republican form of government would be nice. So what’s the beef that the
> few have with the Pledge?
>
> Phil Nisbet
>
>
>
> >From: "Nancy Chaney"
> >To: "'Donovan Arnold'" , "'Area Man
> >(Dan C)'" ,
> >Subject: RE: [Vision2020] City Council and the Pledge
> >Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 18:12:49 -0800
> >
> >Donovan, just so you’ll know, Dan’s V2020 opener about “
humanness” was
> >the end of my reading of a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in
> >acknowledgement of his birthday and in support of human rights. In its
> >entirety, it says: “We must work unceasingly to uplift this nation that
> >we love to a higher plateau of compassion, to a more noble expression of
> >humanness.” In my book, that also speaks to loyalty to country.
> >
> >I acknowledge that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is a big deal to
> >many people. I would argue that contemplating the true meanings of those
> >words is a bigger deal. Whatever their personal reasons, I believe that
> >City Council members who asked that we not include the Pledge, are
> >honorable and sincerely driven to serve this community.
> >
> >I get shivers when the flag goes by, but I appreciate that loving the
> >foundations and people of ones Country is distinct from being made to
> >say particular words before each Council meeting. Please be aware that
> >upon being sworn in, local elected officials sign an oath to “support
> >the Constitution of the United States and the State of Idaho, and the
> >Laws and Ordinances of the City of Moscow, and
to the best of (his/her)
> >ability, faithfully perform the duties of the office
” I am confident
> >that we all took that oath very seriously and considered the meaning of
> >every word and our ability to abide by them in good conscience. Thank
> >you for being concerned.
> >
> >Nancy Chaney
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
> >[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Donovan Arnold
> >Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 2:10 PM
> >To: Area Man (Dan C); vision2020 at moscow.com
> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] City Council and the Pledge
> >
> >Dan,
> >
> >Thanks for bringing this up. I think any person who cannot show a
> >loyalty to the United States over other nations has no business being in
> >an elected office in the United States.
> >
> >I think the people in any city, county, state, or country deserve, at
> >minimum, the knowledge that their elected leaders are on their team. If
> >an elected leader cannot say, "Yes, I affirm my allegiance to this
> >country, state, county, and city FIRST.", I think that disqualifies them
> >from the position. Saying, "I am for Humans" just does not cut it for
> >me.
> >
> >-DJA
> >
> >
> >"Area Man (Dan C)" wrote:
> >Members of the Vizzz,
> >
> >I was perusing the agenda for the last city council meeting and noticed
> >the Pledge of Allegiance was no longer an agenda item. I could not
> >attend the meet! ing since my delicate flower was working basketball
> >games
> >(Go Bears!) and someone had to stay home and make sure the kids couldn't
> >escape from their restraints (yes, I'm being facetious).
> >
> >I listened to the city's recording of the council meeting, but the
> >recording starts with Mayor Chaney saying: " . . . expression of
> >humanness. With that we'll call the meeting to order." Then they move
> >into the consent agenda and public comment period.
> >
> >Does the council no longer begin meetings with the Pledge, or was it
> >just not recorded? If the council no longer begins with the Pledge, why
> >not?
> >
> >curiosity's killin' me, and I ain't no cat,
> >
> >DC
> >
> >_____________________________________________________
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>
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_____________________________________________________
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