Help Us Understand
Why Pledge Was Changed
Greg Tinkler
From: "Greg"
To: "Dr Pepper" <consumer_relations@dpsu.com>
Subject: one nation, indivisible
Date: February 07, 2002 10:17 AM
To whom it may concern:
I really want to thank you for your recent move towards true patriotism. By popularizing the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance in your patriotic can campaign, you have given the nonreligious community a chance to be part of America again.
This may seem like a small thing. However, about 14 percent of Americans identify with the term "nonreligious", and the gross piety following September 11th has left a large portion of this country feeling alienated. Perhaps your gesture will help people to understand how and why the Pledge of Allegiance and our national motto were changed to their present exclusionary forms.
You'll be happy to know that I enjoyed a Dr Pepper with my lunch today.
E pluribus unum,
Greg Tinkler
Most of us appear to have missed this issue of Time Magazine, issued directly after the incident itself:
And note the absence of the ellipsis on this one: just a comma, that's all.
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