I happened to read on the CNN.com web site that "the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that a California atheist could not challenge the words 'one nation under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance..."

The Dutch folks here look pretty amazed and puzzled when I tell them that when I grew up in America, every morning before classes started we all had to stand at attention, cross our hearts and recite the following now famous, patriotic pledge:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Every single morning, five days a week, the whole year round. A proud and patriotic voice would echo over the PR system, grabbing our attention by saying: "please stand now for the pledge of allegiance." Being chosen to make this announcement over the intercom was certainly an honor and a privilege, something to feel jealous about -- if only I had been chosen.

Like we are being brainwashed (which is kind of true when you think about it logically).

When I was little, somewhere around the first or second grade, I did not understand anything at all what it meant, this so-called pledge of allegiance. In fact, I remember being quite confused about the word "which" being in there for some strange reason. Didn't make sense at all. So afterwards, I quietly went to the front of the class and asked the teacher what that "witch" was doing in there. Why would a wicked witch with an ugly wart on her nose be in the pledge of allegiance?

I completely forget what her answer was.