Bellamy salute - the ritual of pronouncing the oath of allegiance to the US flag : while pronouncing the words "I swear allegiance to my flag", to stand still, the right hand rises to the chest, then rises abruptly and goes directly to the flag. This ritual was first performed by Francis Bellamy at Columbus Day on October 12, 1892. The ritual quickly became known as the Bellamy Salute and became widely used in scout organizations .
Bellamy is the author of the text of the oath. The author of the gesture was James B. Upham , a junior partner and editor of The Youth's Companion , where Bellamy worked. [1] Bellamy recalls that Upham came in, stopped in a greeting, snapped his heels and said: “So, the flag is there; I came to greet; I say: “I swear allegiance to my flag”; I hold out my right hand and keep it raised while I swear. " [one]
Content
Description of the ritual
At the signal of the leader, the students are built in rows, hands on the sides below, alignment with the flag. At the second signal, each student salutes in a military greeting - the right hand rises palm down to the forehead line and touches it. Standing in this way, everyone slowly repeats together: "I swear allegiance to my flag and the republic, which it symbolizes: a single indivisible nation with freedom and justice for all." With the words “to my flag”, the right hand gracefully raises its palm up towards the flag, and remains in this gesture until the end of the oath, after which everyone immediately puts their hands down on their sides.
- The Youth's Companion, 65 (1892): 446–447
For civilians, the honor was replaced by the “Hand at the Heart” gesture - the right hand goes palm down to the chest level and touches it, after which followed a wave of the hand, as Bellamy described.
In the 1920s, Albanian ruler Ahmet Zogu established a greeting for the police , similar to the “Hand at the Heart” gesture. Today, in some countries of Latin America , especially in Mexico , civilians use a similar greeting to salute the national flag [2] .
Change of ritual
In the 1920s and 1930s, Italian fascists began to use the Roman salute as a greeting to emphasize the connection of the renewed Italy with the traditions of ancient Rome . Following their example, the German Nazis accepted the Nazi salute , which visually looks like a Roman salute. The similarity of gestures led to confusion, especially with the outbreak of World War II . From 1939, before the attack on Pearl Harbor, opponents of US participation in the war tried not to use Bellamy fireworks so that they would not be counted among Nazi supporters. For example, the famous American pilot Charles Lindbergh and his supporters were forced to make excuses and prove that Lindbergh did not support Hitler and that the photographs did not depict a Nazi salute, but Bellamy salute. Biographer Scott Berg argues that the scandalous photographs were taken without capturing the US flag, making Bellamy salute indistinguishable from a Nazi salute.
On December 22, 1942, Congress passed amendments to the U.S. Flag Code and the oath of the flag began to be put with the palm of his hand on his heart.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Miller, Margarette S. Twenty Three Words: A Biography of Francis Bellamy: Author of the Pledge of Allegiance. - Natl Bellamy Award, 1976. - ISBN 978-0-686-15626-0 .
- ↑ Flag Day in Mexico | | Vacations.com (link not available)
See also
- Zogist greeting
- Nazi salute
- Pioneer salute
- Mouth Front (greeting)
Links
- History of discontinuation of the Bellamy salute , Glenn Kessler