Sen. Becca White explains why she doesn’t say the Pledge of Allegiance

By Guy Page

Last week, Vermont Daily Chronicle began to receive inquiries about Sen. Becca White (D-Windsor) not saying the Pledge of Allegiance on Tuesday mornings when the Senate convenes for the week. Curious, we sat in the balcony as the other senators said the pledge – but neither White or fellow county senators Alison Clarkson nor Richard McCormack were present. Seconds after the pledge concluded, the three entered together and took their seats.

state of Vermont

Senator Becca White, D-Windsor

Yesterday afternoon we inquired by email of Sen. White, a first-term senator and former House member and selectboard member for Hartford, asking if she said the Pledge and if not, why not. She emailed this response today:

“I do not say the pledge of allegiance, I take a moment silence and reflection.

“As you may see in the Valley News article I do not say the pledge because I do not believe in God. I am an atheist Unitarian Universalist and a member of the First Universalist Society of Hartland.

“Growing up I just left out the “under God” piece, but in college I had a profound conversation with a Vietnam veteran and dear friend (who has since passed away in part due to health complications from cancer linked to my knowledge from agent orange exposure while serving) LJ Palardy. LJ expressed to me that to omit the “under God” section was worse than taking a moment of reflection and silence on the meaning of the pledge. So in respect for that conversation, I choose to stand and take a moment of silence and reflection.

“I worry that saying the pledge has been used as a litmus test for my patriotism or respect for service members, and it is not. It is a reflection on a religious belief, in the same way I’m sure many Christian Americans would struggle to say a pledge that said ‘Under Oden’ or ‘Under Zeus.’”

Guy Page is publisher of the Vermont Daily Chronicle. Reprinted with permission.

Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Paul Sableman and state of Vermont

66 thoughts on “Sen. Becca White explains why she doesn’t say the Pledge of Allegiance

  1. Interesting! She doesn’t believe in God but satan does.
    I would like to hear her explain that at the Judgement seat!

  2. God was missing for six days

    Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him, resting on the seventh.

    He inquired, — “Where have you been?”

    God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds,—- “Look, Michael. Look what I’ve made”

    Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said, —- “What is it?”

    “It’s a planet,” — replied God, — and I’ve put life on it. I’m going to call it Earth and it’s going to be a place to test ‘Balance.'”

    “Balance?” — inquired Michael, —- “I’m still confused.”

    God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth…

    “For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor… Over here I’ve placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things…”

    God continued pointing to different countries… “This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice.”

    The Archangel, impressed by God’s work, then pointed to a land area and said, “What’s that one?”

    “That’s Florida, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful trees and gardens, it’s surrounded by water, and days filled with sunshine. The people from Florida are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and they are going to travel the world.

    They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, carriers of peace, and producers of good things.”

    Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, “But what about balance, God? You said there would be ‘balance.'”

    God smiled an all-knowing smile…

    “I will create California…Wait till you see the idiots I’ll put there.”

    “In God we trust”

    • Do you mean California, the 6th largest economy in the world? lol Have you ever been to California or just parrot what you’ve heard about it?

    • Internet Troll:
      An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.
      (Urban Dictionary)

      • You assume/accuse that my primary intent is to provoke. You’re wrong.
        I don’t have a primary intent or hidden agenda, which everyone knows what it is, as suggested by whatcha-ma-call-it.
        I came to this site to learn Repubs positions on issues because I was increasingly becoming discontent with Dems.
        There is little to nothing to learn from vulgar name calling, complaining, slandering and the needle stuck on commies, Nazis, fascists … blah, blah, blah.

        I have learned though which posters I would rather not read so, I don’t.

        Maybe the loudest whiners about my post could grow up and take responsibility for their your own reading instead of whining about mine.

        If TNR thinks my posts are merely trolling, I would be very willing not to post. Not a big deal at all.

        Don’t think it’s just ‘the woke’ against free speech and cancelling, there are plenty on here.

  3. Who cares? There’s a whole bunch of political vermin saying the pledge as they undermine and destroy what’s left of the republic. The country you grew up in no longer exists. I don’t pledge allegiance to this place. I pledge allegiance to my creator and to my people (those who believe in western tradition, culture and heritage). As for me and my house we won’t make common cause with the left. You can cry over what was or concentrate on building something new.

  4. Joy states that “In general, they lack human compassion”. The Dems are soooo compassionate. that they are willing to give all of our tax dollars to the needy all around the world and to the illegal aliens who come into this country, but don’t give a second thought about the people who they are robbing of their hard earned money. As for not saying the pledge of allegiance because she’s of another or no religion and I agree with Richard, she could leave out “under God’ but make the pledge to this country. Don’t urinate down my back and tell me it’s raining. WOKE IS A JOKE

  5. Ms. White leaves little doubt as to why we are seeing the ‘laws’ being conjured up in Montpelier.

    There is a real difference between good and evil. Some worldviews claim all moral distinctions are based purely on preference. Atheism, for instance, allows no objective basis for defining anything as “good” or “evil.” In a godless universe, there are only things a person prefers and things a person does not prefer. This is a key reason why philosophies embracing atheism always tend toward violence and tyranny: there is no sense of higher authority and no reason to moderate the whims of those in power.

    The idea that defining good and evil depends on preferences or situations is commonly called moral relativism. Scripture rejects this idea as false. The Bible defines some things as “good” and other things as “evil” (Isaiah 5:20; Romans 12:9). This dichotomy is reflected in the consistent use of themes such as light versus darkness (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; John 1:5; Ephesians 5:8). The ultimate fate of all people depends on whether they are aligned with a good God or opposed to Him (1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Revelation 21:8).

    Discerning between good and evil is possible only in reference to a single, unchanging standard: the perfect nature of God. God is not subject to morality, since He is the source and benchmark for it. Nor is morality subject to change, since God’s perfect nature is eternal and unchanging.

  6. becca lgbqrst doesn’t recite the pledge to the country she lives in because she’s a socialist marxist commie who also wouldn’t condemn socialism’s atrocities along with 85 other D’rats in the house. She started off her house journey with illicit funds from FTX laundered in ukraine the dem and rino piggy bank… Nice pick idiot voters, why don’t all you flatlander leftist move back to your old states and screw them up instead of VT. Take burnie with you…

    • ps: she could still say the pledge and leave out the word GOD if she had more love for her country then her devil. This is what you get when you pick politicians because of their pronouns and race instead of their abilities. Look at the potato heads admin full of failures as that’s what they are.

      • I wouldn’t question her abilities – they are strong. Christians believe God gives everyone a choice of whether or not to believe. We must respect everyone’s right to make that choice and show them His love along with our prayers to make a change in their choices.

  7. Wow!
    Joy “The Recovering Dem” is here showing us how well she’s recovered.
    She’s relapsing all down the thread.

    My question on this is how can you take an oath of office in your state -that’s part of a nation that you don’t even pledge allegiance too?

    And how is this all okay with the taxpayers who’s money she spends?
    Is this who you want for a voice representing you?
    Becca is so Woke that she’s asleep.

    • Like most of the posters here, you seem incapable of considering anyone else’s viewpoint. Again, because you are stuck on my use of the word ‘recovery’, it means different things to different people. Any chance you can move away from your rigidness on it?

      If anything could push anyone away from Repub viewpoints, it’s posters here.

      Thank god I am not you.

      Lazy thinking.
      What recovering means and that is all that is acceptable to you.

      • “Thank god I am not you” So let’s see, you can’t say “One nation under God” but you can “Thank god”. Which is it Joy. Lazy thinking on your part? Call it what it is.

        • Please produce the post in which I said I do not say one nation under god, or the pledge of alliance.

          Next time be more careful about making accusations and assumptions. And try not to be a sheep that mindlessly follows the crowd.

  8. I think Joy protests too much. So what’s your real deal? Do you have the courage to let people know who you really are because we all see your agenda.

      • I agree with Joy. I don’t know what her/his agenda is. How can I? For all I know, Joy is a Russian ‘bot’? But I do know that Joy substantiates very little, if anything, in her/his statements.

        • Re: “But I do know that Joy substantiates very little, if anything, in her/his statements.”

          Well. So far, at least, Joy’s explanation of who he/she is, is the deafening sound of crickets (Сверчков).

        • Stern: You accuse me of having an agenda.
          My reply: Please explain, Mr. Stern, because I would truly love to know what my agenda is?

          You accuse me of not saying one nation under god and of not saying the pledge of alliance. Neither of which I said or are not true.
          My reply: Please produce the post in which I said I do not say one nation under god, or the pledge of alliance.

          This is your reply: the usual liberal tactic of demean, detract, and distract.

          I think you are talking parrot.

    • Stern: Have you asked Sam, Richard, Pat, DBean, CHenry, JWG, Tamituna, J McCandles, RCoffey or ALinVT to identify themselves?

      Guess it doesn’t matter when the comments come from Repubs. Only when you are attacking comments contrary to yours.

  9. Becca White is just another liberal hack trying to show she is relevant, she’s not,
    but she has the Look at me syndrome…………….. pathetic clown.

    If you don’t like the flag or the country and what it stands for ………… then leave
    you don’t have any respect, so you’ll get no respect.

  10. It is Sen. White’s Constitutional Right not to say the Pledge of Allegiance if she is so inclined. She also has the option of leaving out, “under God”, if that goes against her core conviction, to do otherwise would make her a hypocrite. She could also omit any other part that must trouble her so deeply, such as “liberty and justice for all.”

  11. Our bill of rights states; ‘Freedom of religion’. But not freedom from religion. These ‘WOKE’ people….these children born in the most humane, privileged and liberal governments in the history of the world. These Americans who have never known a time of hunger or famine. These children who have never had a parent arrested because they called the president a sh*t head. Even the poorest trailer-park day time laborer has more wealth than two-thirds of the people on this planet. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. One day maybe they will learn these facts and quit whining. Yes, things are not all that good but it could be much worse….One nation under God. Hell yes.

  12. Who in the world is JOY ? She sounds like JOY REID…Ha, ha. You know, the dim bulb; the racist. Dumb, but Funny!

  13. Somehow, I just don’t think that Becca White belongs in this great country. Our country was founded on Christian/judeo principles and values. Our Founders believe God blessed our country. And we believe that too. And it was blessed…until non believers and those who don’t believe in these values came in and try to change it. America is the largest purveyor of porn, child porn, and other filth and is the largest abortion provider in the world. We have lost sight of God….and we are now collapsing.

  14. If You Leave the Gate Open

    If you leave the gate open, the cow will wander off. So, if you intentionally leave the gate open, you WANT the cow to wander off. You can’t blame stupidity or laziness. It was intentional.

    If you cut police budgets, you will get more crime on the streets. So, if you intentionally cut police budgets, you WANT more crime on the streets.

    If you cut back the supply of oil, gasoline prices will go up. So if you intentionally cut back the supply of oil (such as cancelling the Keystone pipe line), you WANT gasoline prices to go up.

    If you print $trillions of $dollars without increasing the supply of goods, inflation will hit hard. So if you intentionally print trillions of dollars without more goods you WANT more inflation.

    If you leave the southern border wide open, you get more drug trafficking and human trafficking. So if you intentionally leave the border wide open, you WANT more drug trafficking and human trafficking.

    If you shut down 40% of the supply of baby formula in February 2021, you’ll get a huge shortage. When you KNOW a huge baby formula shortage is coming, because of FDAs actions, and you purposefully do nothing to prevent it, month after month, until the crisis finally hits hard, you WANT this crisis.

    It is time to recognize the evil people behind that old man. They want crisis. They want chaos. They want riots. They want conflicts in your towns.

    Their stated purpose years ago with Obama was to (his words) “take the US down a few notches on the world stage.”
    You can litterally feel the quality of your life going down with the country.

    These are not foolish or misguided people. They are intentionally and purposely taking our country somewhere we don’t want to go…

    • Things are seldom what they seem. It seems more than reasonable to suggest your commentary is too simplistic.

    • Great breakdown, and no, its not “simplistic”, its an accurate account of what is goong on in this Country!

    • William Post – you are exactly right. How do we get our youth to not fall for the lies these horrible people use to get elected? People, please pull your children out of public, failing , indoctrination sites call schools.

  15. Obama wanted fundamental transformation.
    We assumed that meant socialism.
    I believe the US became a socialist nation in 2020.

    With massive government spending at over 1/3 of Real GDP.
    It was 34.5% of Real GDP in 2022.
    I consider over 33% to be Socialism.

    Why does fundamental transformation continue?
    It continues, because the goal is centralized command/control, a form of fascism, to be followed by Marxism, THE Holy Grail.

    To reach the last stop, the current economic system (socialism by my definition) must be purposely made ruinous and chaotic, so people will reject it.

    Some call this a Marxist Revolution without guns, but it includes:

    Brainwashing from Kindergarten through El-Hi in schools
    Rejection of the Christian ethic and values
    War on small businesses with ruinous Covid lockdowns
    Mandatory injections with unsafe/ineffective chemical concoctions, that are not vaccines.
    Government-directed US media control
    Prosecution and persecution of those who oppose “the new order”
    Just walk in, without vetting, from anywhere, through unguarded, open borders, and support them with government largesse.
    District Attorneys going easy on criminals
    Nut-Zero, by such-and-such date, to “Save the Planet”

    The only possible explanation for ALL of these plans and decisions is leftists deliberately trying to ruin what works, with their evil goal of fundamental transformation to totalitarianism of some kind.

    • Seems fascism is readily on the tip of Repub tongues.

      Anyone of you who has the courage to exam your limited knowledge about it might be interested in a UVM lecture on it 2/17 at the Miller Center.

      No takers? Not surprised.

  16. Becca White is an atheist, and therefore she cannot say “SO HELP ME GOD”, or whatever.

    Good, next time I vote, I will not check her name.
    I hope all of you do the same.

  17. According to the Unitarian Universalist website: “We live out these Principles within a “living tradition” of wisdom and spirituality, drawn from sources as diverse as science, poetry, scripture, and personal experience.” One of the sources listed is “Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves” An atheist by definition: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods. Senator White’s statement appears to show she is confused and conflicted as to what she believes. The church doctrine as described by their website appears to be confused and conflicted as well. Perhaps it is an attempt at one size fits all, which is what some churches are doing these days to survive or remain relevant. As far as Senator White, I question her ability to represent her constiuents being that she doesn’t comprehend her own convoluted, contrasting beliefs.

  18. Re: “I do think it disrespectful and a violation of her privacy to report on it.”

    You better speak to Ms. White then. She’s the one who reported on it.

    • She did not ‘report’ on it. Unfortunately, she responded to a bad-will reporter. She shouldn’t have.

      Here Guy Page reported on it.

      • As an elected representative, ms. white faces questions about her actions, beliefs and words. It is how we, the electorate decide on whom will represent us and that these representatives are doing their duties as we direct them. They are responsible to the electorate, regardless of whether we agree with them or not. That’s the system, like it or not.
        Ms. white responded to a question asked by a legitimate member of the press, therefore, she is reporting on her actions.
        Her choice to respond was exactly that, her choice. It does provide insight on who ms. white is- and for the voters of her district an insight to be considered on Election Day.
        Unfortunately, all politicians are not so forthcoming nor apparently truthful. Your opinion on the matter is just that- and your ability to voice it is under attack by this very representative. ms. white voted in the affirmative for passage of S.265 (Act 103)
        in 2022.

        • Likewise, your opinion is just that. It is twisted to say that when someone answers a question they are ‘reporting’.

          No that isn’t the system – like it or not. Discrimination based on religion is still a federally protected category. No candidate should be expected to speak on their religious beliefs. Or if they even have any.

          Has the same reporter asked any other candidate (Repubs) about their religious beliefs? I highly doubt it. In a court case that would be pretty good evidence that the reporter’s behavior was discriminatory and mean-spirited, I gotcha.

          There are lots of ‘legitimate reporters’. Respectable? Not so much. The majority are untrustworthy partisans. One who goes after a politician to try to shame them fits into that category.

          I am not supporting Ms. White. I know nothing about her expect the gossip reported here. I don’t follow legislative happenings but, since you brought it up, I will be interested in reading S.265 because of course…

  19. Why is this an issue? I find nothing concerning about not believing in god. I do think it disrespectful and a violation of her privacy to report on it.

    • Then ask the question of Ms. White, where do our rights come from if not from God? Because if she believes they don’t come from God then she believes they come from government. If they come from government, they can be taken at any time. This is why they are passing all the unconstitutional laws they can. If they don’t believe in God, then they don’t believe the founding documents. People like this are chameleons and don’t want you to know what they really are, Communists.

      French Poet, Baudelaire 1864: “My dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil’s best trick is to persuade you that he doesn’t exist!”

          • I think it’s appropriate for Joy to comment here and to make a fool of herself. She brings out the best in the commenters and the worst in hers. She is a recovering liberal but as you can see, they never recover. Being argumentative is not a debate. A liberals job is to demean and bully people into submission. She does exactly what she claims we do, as in name calling which all started with liberals. Joy is a person of no Joy at all. Responding to her is a waste of time. A liberal like Joy may claim to not be woke and not all liberals are woke. But Joy is a liberal and they never fully recover from the cult of the hive mind. She is a person with no place to go to be accepted.

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