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1 | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, On February 10, 1954, Senator Homer Ferguson of | ||||||
3 | Michigan introduced a bill in the United States Congress to | ||||||
4 | amend the Pledge of Allegiance by adding the words "under God" | ||||||
5 | to the text of the pledge; and
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6 | WHEREAS, February 10, 1954 was chosen as the date to | ||||||
7 | introduce the bill by Senator Ferguson to recognize the | ||||||
8 | five-year anniversary of the imprisonment of Cardinal Joseph | ||||||
9 | Mindszenty of Hungary, who was imprisoned and tortured by | ||||||
10 | Communists for his sermons exposing the goal of communism to | ||||||
11 | eradicate all religion; and
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12 | WHEREAS, Speeches were delivered in Congress by members of | ||||||
13 | both political parties honoring Cardinal Mindszenty and | ||||||
14 | emphasizing the threat posed to America by communism; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Upon introduction of the bill, Senator Ferguson | ||||||
16 | commented, "I believe this modification of the pledge is | ||||||
17 | important because it highlights one of the real fundamental | ||||||
18 | differences between the free world and the Communist world, | ||||||
19 | namely, belief in God"; he continued with, "Our nation is | ||||||
20 | founded on a fundamental belief in God, and the first and most | ||||||
21 | important reason for the existence of our government is to | ||||||
22 | protect the God-given rights of our citizens. Spiritual values |
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1 | are every bit as important to the defense and safety of our | ||||||
2 | nation as are military and economic values."; and
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3 | WHEREAS, The vote to add "under God" to the United States | ||||||
4 | Pledge of Allegiance was a unanimous vote; and
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5 | WHEREAS, On February 7, 1954, President Dwight D. | ||||||
6 | Eisenhower became convinced that adding the words "under God" | ||||||
7 | to the United States Pledge of Allegiance would be the right | ||||||
8 | thing to do after hearing Reverend George Docherty preach that | ||||||
9 | the phrase "nation under God" was first used in the Gettysburg | ||||||
10 | Address and that the words were appropriate to be added to the | ||||||
11 | United States Pledge of Allegiance because freedom "is defined | ||||||
12 | by a fundamental belief in God"; and
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13 | WHEREAS, The first time the United States Pledge of | ||||||
14 | Allegiance was recited was on Flag Day, June 14, 1954; and
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15 | WHEREAS, It is the policy of the members of the General | ||||||
16 | Assembly to recognize and honor such an important date, which | ||||||
17 | strengthens the ties of history that bind us to our Christian | ||||||
18 | heritage; therefore, be it
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19 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
20 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | ||||||
21 | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize February 10, 1954 |
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1 | as the anniversary of the addition of the words "under God" to | ||||||
2 | the United States Pledge of Allegiance; and be it further
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3 | RESOLVED, That the members of this body are urged to | ||||||
4 | reflect upon the importance of the words "under God" each time | ||||||
5 | it is recited within the chambers.
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