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To the Editor: 

It is time to hear more from the WW II /”Greatest Generation” about “under God” being removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. I am 78 years wise, and in all my years and on back to the beginning of this country, “under God” was not in the pledge, until 1954 and the super patriotic McCarthy Era. I grew up reciting the pledge in the Boy Scouts, in my schools, and in the U.S. Amy Air Force — but our ideas on "God" remained separated, the way the founding fathers set forth — “separation of Church and State.” During WW II I suffered aerial combat, one year as a POW in Germany, earned the purple heart, and lost buddies to the Nazis. I also learned then to dispute the blatant dishonesty of the patriotic rhetoric that “God is on our side.” Now, in our post 9-11 rash of God imbued patriotism, there are those who wrap the our flag around their God, and defy the constitution. I entrust you all to contact your congress members and request that “under God” be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance — for once and for ever — Amen. 

Ken Norwood  

Berkeley