I agree with Carl C. Harrington Sr., an avowed atheist, that the Pledge of Allegiance should be restored to its original version, which doesn’t include the words “under God” (Nov. 9).

Harrington objects to the current pledge because it represents the imposition of theism on atheists. Granted, but the “little history lesson” he gave in making his case against those “select few” in any age who try to impose their beliefs on others was skewed.

Harrington pointed out that Hitler was born in Austria (a Catholic country), that he was raised Catholic, and that he envied the Catholic clergy for their ability to keep their followers loyal. Harrington’s drift? That Catholicism and Hitlerism are fundamentally sister tyrannies.

Hitler was born and raised in Catholic Austria, yes; but he triumphed in a Germany two-thirds Protestant. And yes, Hitler was raised Catholic; but he became an adamant atheist: “Man is god in the making,” he once insisted. Further, Nazism was based on ideas antithetical to Catholicism, but not to atheism.

Hitler envied the Catholic clergy did he? He also considered the father of Protestantism, Martin Luther, a great German hero – in no small part because of Luther’s anti-Catholicism and his fire-eating anti-Semitism in his post-Catholic period. What’s more, the generality of Nazis shared Hitler’s esteem for Luther.

Harrington remarked that “some Catholics overlooked Hitler’s efforts to eradicate the Jewish population.” I see. I take it, then, that scarcely any Protestants or atheists overlooked them?

William LaRochelle, Lewiston