The Pepsi can email.

I am sure you have all recieved an e-mail within the last few years speaking of a Pepsi can that has the pledge on it with "Under God" taken out. Well after some help from Buffy and researching some stuff on my own here is what I found: (WARNING VERY LONG)

The Pepsi Can email:

First of all I must say that there was only one thing that I can see that true about the whole “Pepsi Can E-mail”. It said “Pepsi” instead of “Dr Pepper”.

In November 2001 the Pepsi cooperation released a Dr Pepper “Patriotic Can”. In this you can clearly see that they left out “Under God”. The reason is as follows:

“In recent days, several news media outlets in the country have reported on a special edition Dr Pepper can that (1) was created to show support for the patriotic fervor that has been sweeping America since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, and to show the world that we are a united nation of people who place a high value upon freedom.

Much of the information being circulated on this subject is incomplete or inaccurate. Here are the facts:

The can, released last November, features an image of the Statue of Liberty along with the words "One Nation . . . Indivisible." (2) The special packaging was designed to reflect our pride in this country's determination to stand together as one. The Statue of Liberty and Pledge of Allegiance were chosen as two of the greatest symbols of American freedom.

(3) Due to space limitations on the can, only a few of the 31 words from the Pledge of Allegiance could be used. The available area for graphics limited the amount of verbiage on the can. Of the 31 words in the Pledge of Allegiance, only three were included. More than 90 percent were not included.

(4) We at Dr Pepper/Seven Up strongly believe that the message on these cans is a resoundingly patriotic, bipartisan message that we are a united nation.

More than 41 million special edition cans were ordered by Dr Pepper bottlers in portions of a dozen states. Because the limited edition patriotic can is to be retired in February, you will soon see regular packaging graphics for Dr Pepper at your local retail stores.”

I have underlined a few things we need to put our attention to:

1) Patriotic Support and fervor – If they planned on becoming patriotic then the needed to include the “Under God”. Why would I say that? Is this a bias view? Well everything is bias these days but look at the history of the pledge:

The original Pledge of Allegiance

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands- one nation indivisible-with liberty and justice for all."

On September 8,1892, the Boston based "The Youth's Companion" magazine published a few words for students to repeat on Columbus Day that year. Written by Francis Bellamy,the circulation manager and native of Rome, New York, and reprinted on thousands of leaflets, was sent out to public schools across the country. On October 12, 1892, the quadricentennial of Columbus' arrival, more than 12 million children recited the Pledge of Allegiance, thus beginning a required school-day ritual.

At the first National Flag Conference in Washington D.C., on June14, 1923, a change was made. For clarity, the words "the Flag of the United States" replaced "my flag". In the following years various other changes were suggested but were never formally adopted.

It was not until 1942 that Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance. One year

later, in June 1943, the Supreme Court ruled that school children could not be forced to recite it. In fact,today only half of our fifty states have laws that encourage the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom!

In June of 1954 an amendment was made to add the words "under God". Then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower said "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

So in 1954 Under God was added to the pledge. Dwight D. Eisenhower explained that this would include all religious faiths. Not only that but it would strengthen the country as a whole. So showing a patriotic view would be to include the “Under God”. After all it was an Amendment made by our commander and chief. I know this may be different but America sure holds to the free speech amendment. Why not honor one a president of the US enacted.

2) Pride, Determination and Oneness…

a. Is this words in a letter or do they mean that. Many people that are not of a faith show pride yes. But what about those millions that do have a faith system. Are they not patriotic? Do they have no Pride? Are they not determined? The words “standing together as one” then is roughly translated to…”those of no faith standing”. Because being one would include those of faith.

3) Can limitations and 90 percent left out…

a. We would all understand that there is can limitations. There are many ways to deal with that. I suggest that they needed to ghost image the pledge as so:

Original

Ghosted

b. Next as for the can limitations on words look at one can easily do:

All that takes is to make the statue of liberty smaller. WOW the words suprisingly fit. As I show the font is the same size and will make the fit.

4) This whole statement is incorrect:

a. We at Dr Pepper/Seven Up strongly believe that the message on these cans is a resoundingly patriotic, bipartisan message that we are a united nation.

b. I have dealt with patriotic and united but what about bipartisan. You all know as well as I do that can never be true. If so then Pepsi would have printed 2 types of cans so as not to offend anyone. Instead they choose to omit people of faith.

5) Then to close it all off it seems at the end of the letter they are saying “Don’t worry they are limited edition so the other cans will be gone and you can continue to consume our drinks” for those who were offended.

6) Oh yeah check out this page that where they addressed the issue. Notice the picture of the can is gone as well as the link is dead.

http://www.dpsu.com/SearchResults/tabid/37/Default.aspx?Search=dr+pepper+can

I hope you all stayed with me and read it really helped me to research this. Do some on your own to find out more.