“Under God?”

We continually want people to buy into the fact that America is “one nation under God” (that phrase “under God” was added to the pledge of allegiance to the flag in 1954).  Not many of us are sure what that “under God” means—and given our religious diversity it probably means different things to different groups. Could we agree that “under God” must at least mean that a nation is subject to God’s ways?  Of course, we would then probably disagree with what we think are God’s ways.  If we use our “books” as a guide:  Torah, Koran, Bible, etc, we could probably say in unison that God cares for the outcast, the disinherited, the poor, and the captive, etc.—or those who cannot stand on their own two feet and who need help.

If we agree with what our religious books tell us about God, then how in the world can we stand by as acting Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli suggests that only immigrants who can “stand on their own two feet” are welcome in the USA!  Madeline Albright, former US Secretary of State says the suggestion is “completely un-American.”  Albright has been a refugee twice, once escaping from the Nazis to England and then escaping to the US from Czechoslovakia when the communists took over.  She goes on to say “I think the Statue of Liberty is weeping.”  

When asked if he (Cuccinelli) would agree that the words etched on the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, give me your poor,” are part of the American ethos, Cuccinelli said, “They certainly are:  ‘Give me your tired and your poor’ who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge.”  Does that mean we want everyone now in this country and those who want to come to be able to stand on their own two feet?  

Julian Castro sees this move as Donald Trump’s intent to create “a nation in his own image.”  Whatever the case, my question is:  Can we say and do this thing, “only the tired and the poor who can stand on their own feet are welcome” while we also say we are a “nation under God?”

By the way, there are roughly 40.6 million people in the United States who cannot stand on their own two feet (that only represents those we call “poor” and does not include others who are not labeled poor, men, women, children and seniors (American citizens) who cannot stand on their own two feet).  These 40.6 million people include:  27.6% Native Americans, 26.2% Black, 23.4% Hispanic, 12.4% White, and 12.3% Asian.  What does a nation which claims it is “under God” do about this?