Decrying the Pledge of Allegiance as being “steeped in expressions of nativism and white nationalism,” the new president of the Santa Barbara College Board of Trustees announced this year that the board would no longer recite the pledge during its meetings.
“I decided to discontinue use of the Pledge of Allegiance for reasons related to its history and symbolism,” wrote the board’s president, Robert Miller, in an email to former faculty member Celeste Barber first reported by Campus Reform. “I have discovered that the Pledge of Allegiance has a history steeped in expressions of nativism and white nationalism,” he explained later.
“Our flag is a powerful symbol of freedom and our system government, but I prefer to pledge allegiance to our constitution instead of a physical object,” he wrote, adding: “I also object to the phrase ‘one nation under God.’ The First Amendment not only protects freedom of speech and religion, it also expressly prohibits laws that establish a religion. The U.S. Supreme Court has expressly extended those rights to those who express no belief in God. Thus, I disagree with the 1955 act of Congress to add this phrase to the Pledge of Allegiance.”
After Campus Reform’s report was picked up by other national outlets, including Fox News, Miller quickly issued a statement temporarily reinstating the pledge. “Effective immediately, the Pledge of Allegiance will be recited at Board of Trustee meetings until some future date when the matter may be considered by the Board,” he wrote in a statement posted to Facebook Tuesday. “This decision, which restores the status quo, follows an appeal for reinstatement from members of the public who raised important issues at the January 24 board meeting.”
Humiliated for Santa Barbara City College making national news for their idiocy.
— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) January 30, 2019
IOn Wednesday, actor Rob Lowe weighed in on the shenanigans going on over at Santa Barbara City College with a succinct tweet highlighted by Campus Reform: “Humiliated for Santa Barbara City College making national news for their idiocy.” – READ MORE