Who Really Loves God and Country?

Re “The County’s Response in the Wake of Tragedy,” Letters, Oct. 21:

Thank God that Gil Ferguson is a former assemblyman. He should have more time now to spend in church and in history class so his distorted slant on the last few decades might be moderated.

Reverence for God and country have always been liberal trademarks, although Ferguson and his conservative buddies have desperately tried to spin otherwise. Multiculturalism is an outward expression of God’s plea that we love our neighbors (and indeed, our enemies). Environmentalism stems from God asking us to be stewards of his creation. The “Judeo-Christian God of Western civilization” is a god of peace, love, fairness, justice and equality.

It seems to me that the conservative movement in this country since Ronald Reagan has fought every one of those virtues by ignoring the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless and the ill, while continuing to disdain people of color.

Ferguson is a little confused. If anyone has tried to “erase God from our world,” it is he and his kind. Since Sept. 11, we have all pulled together as one people. What could be more of a rebuke of conservative ideals that that?

Ken Lanxner

San Clemente

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I take exception to John F. Dean’s wording where he states “the pledge of allegiance recited correctly, as introduced by President Eisenhower.” Eisenhower did not “introduce” this current version (“God” was added), but he did sign it into law in 1954.

To mention the pledge and Eisenhower in one sentence might give this revision an air of legitimacy. But the Knights of Columbus and Sen. Joseph McCarthy were involved in the revision that landed on the president’s desk, and the legitimacy evaporates quickly.

The pledge of this nation, with its Bill of Rights assuring its citizens that the government will never purvey religious dogma, now had God incorporated into its fabric. The following year, “In God We Trust” would be required for all United States coins and currency. I believe the founders never intended “God” to be used the way it is today, and the original author of the pledge, Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, also resisted such intention. Before 1954, all citizens who felt a love of their country could recite the pledge with no objections to what the words implied. Only through backroom politics has the pledge been downgraded to what it is today.

Peter Hughes

Los Alamitos

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It is reassuring that the Air National Guard Troops at John Wayne Airport are not carrying loaded weapons. Clearly the M-16 held by the troop in the B1 photo of the Oct. 13 California section does not contain an ammunition clip. Here in Orange County, we may be at greater risk from these “weekend warriors” running amok than from terrorists trying to hijack our planes.

Richard G. Vinet

Lt. Cmdr., U.S. Navy (Ret.)

Judge Advocate General’s Corps