Metropolitan State University of Denver professor Charles Angeletti, who teaches a class on American Civilization, has a rule for students wishing to take his course: that they recite a new version of the Pledge of Allegiance that denounces the nation as unjust.
The pledge was meant to be satirical, Campus Reform reported. But it’s angered many who say satire or not, the text is offensive.
The pledge reads: “I pledge allegiance to and wrap myself in the flag of the United States Against Anything Un-American. And to the Republicans for which it stands, two nations, under Jesus, rich against poor, with curtailed liberty and justice for all except blacks, homosexuals, women who want abortions, Communists, welfare queens, tree huggers, feminazis, illegal immigrants, children of illegal immigrants, and you, if you don’t watch your step,” Campus Reform reported.
The pledge was intended to get students to think and question their country’s leadership, said Mr. Angeletti, a self-proclaimed atheist and socialist, Fox News reported. He also said he’s been passing out the pledge for about 20 years in his classes.
“We’re very racist, we’re very repressive, we’re very Christian-oriented, we don’t tolerate other kinds of thinking in this country,” Mr. Angeletti said to Campus Reform. “I could go on and on — and do, in my classes, for hours about things that we need to do to make this a better country.”
A student in Mr. Angeletti’s class said “The New Pledge” was distributed to the class and those in attendance were forced to recite it.
“This was an attempt to propagandize an entire classroom of young adults,” said Steven Farr, a freshman majoring in meteorology, to Campus Reform.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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