it goes far beyond that ...

The problems with the Pledge of Allegiance go far beyond the false promise of liberty and justice, and the question of brainwashing children to be slaves of the state.

The Pledge was written and promoted by Francis Bellamy in order to justify the invasion and occupation of foreign nations that occurred during the 1861-1865 war. The purpose of the pledge is first and foremost to deny the 10th Amendment right of the separate States to secede from the union by asserting that the united States of America are a single, indivisible unit.

The text has been changed several times, but it currently reads:

"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."

So, let's go through these:

"I pledge allegiance"
Aside from the fact that the pledge is typically taught to children, and asking children to pledge allegiance without understanding what they are doing or why is an obvious form of brainwashing and generally reprehensible, this phrase is faulty because it pushes the idea of servility - that citizens are supposed to abase themselves before some mighty person or cause, when in fact the origins of American government were always clear about the government being created to serve the people, rather than the other way around. If free citizens are to pledge their service to something, it had better be a truly free choice and something of such intrinsically great value that no one could doubt its worth. Something like Liberty or Love, or even Truth and Beauty.

"to the flag"
Fail.

We're supposed to pledge our allegiance to a piece of cloth?

"of the United States of America, and"
Nothing terribly objectionable about this part, but it is an awkward way to begin a pledge, considering that everything before it is trash.

"to the republic"
I, too, could drink a toast to the Republic. Alas that it is no more!

"for which it stands,"
No longer applicable, if we ignore the silliness of loyalty to fabric.

"one nation"
Fuck you, Francis Bellamy. I support the Constitution.

"under God,"
Hasa diga Eebowai.

"indivisible,"
Just couldn't let it rest, could you? 10th Amendment.

"with liberty and justice for all."
Only fitting to conclude this travesty with a blatant lie.

I cannot think of anything more unAmerican than the Pledge of Allegiance.