The Pledge

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The earliest version of this iteration of the Pledge of Allegiance (which incidentally didn’t include “the United States” or “under God”) was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (a Christian Socialist). I guess the purpose of the pledge is to foster a kind of national unity, but how’s that going? We seem to be pretty divisible these days. And how have we done with that liberty and justice for all thing?

Beyond its  hollow nationalist proclamations, the pledge is also missing any connection to the soul of this beautiful land. Shouldn’t our pledge include allegiance to our spacious skies, amber waves of grain, purple mountain majesties? The Haudenosaunee (or Six Nations) Thanksgiving Address, recited in lieu of the Pledge of Allegiance in some Native classrooms, captures this essence, expressing gratitude for the land that nurtures us.

Maybe there’s something to be said for patriotism, although I can’t think of what that might be right now. Who is actually a patriot in the United States these days anyway? Conservatives wave their flags (no, not the traitorous Confederate flag), but they denounce America because there’s not enough liberty. Liberals (with their own multicolored flags) denounce America because there’s not enough justice. In this globalized society, it’s small minded to be so tribalistic. Shouldn’t our allegiance spread beyond the tribe? E pluribus unum, right?

I hereby propose that we adopt a new pledge of allegiance, and it goes like this:

I pledge allegiance to all of my fellow citizens, and to humanity as a whole. I pledge my gratitude to the land, the air, the water, and to all living beings who share the Earth with us. I pledge my soul to work for a world with liberty and justice for all.

A little too high-falutin’? Corny? Hippy dippy? Well, write your own damn pledge. Maybe it’s good if we don’t have a one-pledge-fits-all system anyway.

Speaking of other pledges, each generation should come up with a list of pledges that address issues affecting society. Following is my list of ten pledges that every American might adopt, to the best of our ability. Some of these are changes that we can make right away, others will take some time (let’s give ourselves, say, five years to enact the harder pledges).

1. I pledge to be more magnanimous

There’s so much hate, fear, and division in our country these days, but we must understand that, in our flawed system, most people are simply trying to live a good life. People may not look like me or act like me but, overwhelmingly, they want the same thing I do: happiness. Renounce politicians and media that litter the land with seeds of hate and division – a sure sign that they are only working to benefit themselves. Be generous, be forgiving, be respectful, be kind, and it will bring immense reward. The only measure of success is how much better you make the world.

2. I pledge to reduce my materialism

Our consumerist system creates insatiable wants. We are like pigs with food troughs yoked around our necks – and we just can’t stop eating a never-ending torrent of slop. We must free ourselves from this yoke. It starts by examining what it is that actually makes us happy. For me that means new experiences, learning, adventure, creating, and, well, helping others. I want certain material  things (sunglasses to protect my eyes, a camera to document my new experiences, protein powder for my coffee), but I don’t need everything. It’s especially important to avoid cheap throwaway doodads and excessive packaging. Thrift shops are great. Local crafts are great. Online fair trade sites, like Global Crafts,  that directly benefit makers across the globe are great. Used bookstores are great. 

3. I pledge to renounce factory-farmed meat and animal products

There are 8 billion humans on the planet, and there are 80 billion animals that we farm for food (not including fish and other seafood). Most of these are chickens, but there are also billions of cows, pigs, and other mammals. Far too many of these animals are essentially tortured day in and day out for their relatively short lives before they are slaughtered for our consumption. Chickens, cows, and pigs are sentient beings – they feel pain and experience emotions. Sows, raised their whole lives in a box where they can’t even turn around, will sometimes scream when their newborn piglets are taken away. It is abominable what humans do to livestock. Factory farming as it is practiced is bad for the animals, the planet, the farmers, and consumers. Eat plant-based products, and if we must eat animal products, stick with free range, organic, more humanely raised animals.

4. I pledge to eat real food, produced sustainably

On the plant side of things, advances in farming technology have created higher yields that have saved billions of lives, so it’s hard to condemn the whole system. But that doesn’t mean the system is healthy – far from it. Far too much large-scale agriculture degrades the soil, reduces biodiversity, contributes to global warming, and produces food that is meant solely for livestock, or that is unhealthy for humans. Simple carbs are blasted into processed foods, which are the primary cause of an epidemic of obesity in the United States and elsewhere. Obesity-related deaths are the second-leading cause of death in the U.S., with around 300,000 deaths every year. As Michael Pollan says, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” I would add “choose organic when you can.” Farmers are great – why don’t we have a system that allows them to nurture the land, grow healthy food, and get fairly compensated for it? And, contrary to livestock farming, factory farming will become more and more essential to growing plants: indoor vertical farms that use renewable energy, lower water inputs, and minimal to zero pesticides, and that can be housed in urban buildings.

5. I pledge to end my reliance on gas or diesel for transportation

Bike or walk when you can (bonus: it’s also great for you!). When you must drive, there’s very little reason to have a gas car these days. Electric vehicles may cost more initially (although many are already reaching parity), but over the life of the vehicle, they save money. As upfront prices continue to drop, that savings will occur sooner and sooner. EVs result in far lower fossil fuel use (even if the electricity is from a fossil fuel mix), and of course that drops to zero if you charge with solar or wind power. Pollution from gas vehicles accounts for about 20,000 deaths in the U.S. each year – EVs of course have zero tailpipe emissions (or tailpipes, for that matter). EVs are amazing cars to drive – far zippier than their gas counterparts. Range anxiety will be about as common as it is with gas vehicles (which is to say, pretty low) as the charging infrastructure is rapidly built out. Don’t buy another damn Cherokee or Outback or Pilot – get a Kia EV6 or Ford Lightning or Chevy Bolt. Air travel will rely more and more on biofuels, but for now we’re stuck with fossil fuels; for the time being, we can opt to fly less, and when we do fly, we can offset our carbon (and double it for good measure).

6. I pledge to end my reliance on fossil fuels in my home

Heat pumps, baby! They’re back and they’re better than ever. Plug one into your solar rooftop system and enjoy the fossil-fuel-free air blasting hot or cold (!) air into your house. And, yeah, you can afford solar because it’s less than what you’re paying your utility. And if you can’t do solar, see if your utility offers renewable credits. Then you just have to cut the cord on that gas range (which is also contributing to your child’s asthma and who knows what else), and, well, plug in the cord on your brand new luxury electric convection range. Voila, you are gas free!

7. I pledge to give back to the world

Read “The Life That You Can Save” by Peter Singer. He proposes that anyone with the means should contribute a certain amount to effective charities. And also that people should spend a portion of their time volunteering, and a portion of their time on activism. Find a balance of giving, volunteering, and activism.

8. I pledge to act globally and act locally

Forget thinking globally, we’re in the digital age – we can act globally now. Get involved with changing the system, fighting climate change, helping others. Locally, get to know what’s happening in the community, and figure out how you can either rabblerouse or pitch in, or a combination of the two.

9. I pledge to spend more time in nature

The Japanese practice shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. The Dutch practice uitwaaien, or walking in brisk, windy weather in nature. Americans practice car-hiking, or walking about ten feet from their cars so they can take selfies in front of the Grand Canyon. Guess what? We evolved in nature, and it turns out it’s pretty darn good for us to hang out there occasionally – between Facebook and TikTok sessions. America the Beautiful is no joke – we need to go out and feel the wind on our faces, rejoice in the mountain streams, run through the tallgrass prairies, and bathe in the azure ocean waters. We should be grateful for the beauty and the bounty of this land.

10. I pledge to take care of myself

Good news: the nine pledges above are instrumental in taking care of ourselves. Eat well, exercise, sleep well, love your neighbors (and beyond), continue to learn and grow, practice gratitude – all of these will lead to well-being and a fulfilling life.