Counting Crows' Duritz Talks 'Pledge Of Allegiance' Controversy

NEW YORK (Counting Crows Fans Website) - Just in time to celebrate the Fourth Of July, Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz has offered his thoughts on the controversy surrounding the Pledge Of Allegiance, whose key phrase, "under God," was ruled unconstitutional late last month due to the separation of church and state.

The ruling caused considerable displeasure among a majority of Americans. However, don't count Duritz in that category. "One of the most basic elements of [American] ideals is that we all have the right to believe in whatever Gods, or lack thereof, we choose and in whatever political system or government we chose," the singer writes on the Crows' website (countingcrows.com). "In other words, we can't pressure kids into swearing allegiance to America anymore than the British could force us to swear allegiance to the King. And that doesn't make America worse to forbid it."

Duritz continues: "If you really think about it, it's one of the reasons America is even better than you think it is. You just have to remember what the flag really stands for and hold our nation to the compact we made with ourselves almost 226 years ago. Think about that...when the anniversary rolls around. The best present we as the younger generation can give to our country is to force it to be the nation it was always intended to be."

Duritz likens the current political conservatism that prompted the ruling's backlash to the mid-'50s era of when "under God" was added to the pledge--a time when so-called McCarthy-ism sought to rid Communists from society. "The right to free speech and the right to disagree with your government is the most basic of the rights protected by our constitution," he says. "Take them away and what does it mean to be an American?"

The Counting Crows release their fourth studio album, Hard Candy, on July 9. The effort features the first single, "American Girls."