Pledge of Allegiance: League of Women Voters official thinks it's "phony patriotism"

It was a candidate's debate in Illinois. A military veteran asked if the Pledge of Allegiance would lead the proceedings ... the League of Women Voters said it was not part of the program.

What followed was an Americana moment when almost the entire crowd of more than 350 citizens rose to its feet and spontaneously recited the Pledge of Allegiance:

[Debate moderator] Tate-Bradish was asked whether the Pledge of Allegiance would be recited after she went over some ground rules and directed the candidates to make opening statements. The query came from a man in the audience.

As Tate-Bradish explained the debate was not scheduled to start with the pledge, almost all in the crowd of more than 300 stood and enthusiastically recited it anyway. Tate-Bradish, who joined in the pledge, issued a scolding when the crowd finished.

Walsh campaign manager Nick Provenzano said he still did not understand why Tate-Bradish did not appear to welcome the Pledge of Allegiance suggestion. He said it was spontaneous and not orchestrated by Walsh's campaign.

Illinois' top League of Women Voters official went on to call it "phony patriotism."

By way of Gateway Pundit, here's the email from the man who requested the Pledge be recited:

My name is Joe Ptak and I live in Island Lake, Illinois. I attended the Joe Walsh-Melissa Bean “forum” and I WAS THE INDIVIDUAL who stood up and wanted to know why the pledge of allegiance was not going to be recited…I thought it might have been an oversight. I was flabbergasted and stunned to hear the LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS moderator say to me, and the audience, that it was never part of their program at these events and will not allowed.

Please keep in mind that this “forum” was organized in Grayslake High School for the benefit of the students, who were asking the questions. Furthermore, there were numerous students present (gaining extra credit) as well as 350 adults and media who packed the auditorium.

I served in the USAFR’s for ten (10) years and there were many veterans in attendance. I was so proud when the audience rose up one by one, then in mass to recite the pledge of allegiance with loud and heavy emphasis on the words LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. The moderator then had the gall to admonish the audience and for “disrespecting her”…my wife told me if that woman did not shut up she was going to get her “Brooklyn up” (being from NY).

I happen to be an Hispanic immigrant from Peru, South America, who was brought to this great country by my parents, along with three other siblings in 1960, when I was eight years old. I was raised in Chicago, have seen, and experienced a lot in this world. People are literary dying each day for just the OPPORTUNITY to live in this great land I call my home. [emphasis added]

There are ignorant people in this land who do not have the slightest idea, nor understand, what it means to be an AMERICAN. Our Liberty, Freedom of Speech and the Press are never guaranteed and we must always fight to maintain them. I think our students in attendance witnessed that first hand and gained a lot of extra credit for themselves.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE FOLKS ... guard against those that would take it away from us!

So often it is those who legally immigrated to our country who speak out ... the ones who see what we have and truly appreciate that we must guard our freedoms.

Is the League of Women Voters trying to be so fair that they actually end up being unfair to those who are proud at being Americans?

Perhaps the League of Women Voters needs to listen to Red Skelton's sincere explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance to remember why it is important.

More on the subject by way of Memeorandum ...
- Donald Douglas at American Power
- Publius at Andrew Breitbart's Big Government
- Weasel Zippers