At every meeting, after the call to order, officials and residents stand together to salute their country.

In all major public meeting in Concordia Parish, this is the routine &045;&045; they all say the pledge of allegiance before every meeting, whether 10 minutes or two hours long.

&uot;Vidalia has always done that,&uot; said Vidalia Alderman Vernon Stevens. He has served on the board for 25 years and &uot;we’ve done it ever since.&uot;

&uot;It’s just a patriotic act to say the pledge of allegiance before the meeting,&uot; added Stevens, who served in the Army and the National Guard.

&uot;It is a show of patriotism and support for the country.&uot;

The Concordia Parish School board, police jury and Ferriday aldermen also say the pledge to start their meetings.

&uot;We’ve always done it and nobody’s ever questioned it,&uot; said Russell Wagoner, currently the police jury secretary but Wagoner served on the board from 1982 to 1992. &uot;It’s just part of the jury as far as I’m concerned.

&uot;It reaffirms our pledge to the United States. Even though the jury is a smaller body, we’re still pledging our allegiance.&uot;

But in Adams County, the tradition is waning.

Adams County Supervisor Sammy Cauthen, who has served on the board for 25 years, said the board said the pledge when their meeting room was located in the courthouse.

&uot;It was just customary,&uot; he said.

But since the move, the flag has been misplaced and apparently so has the tradition of saying the pledge at the beginning of the meetings.

Cauthen, who will be the president of the Mississippi Board of Supervisors beginning in June, said saying the pledge is left to the discretion of the each body.

Cauthen said he does not know why the pledge is no longer recited but he would be in favor of restarting the tradition.

The Natchez aldermen did not say the pledge in recent years but just began reciting it months ago.

Alderman Ricky Gray was unsure of whose idea it was to start it but has no problem with saying it at aldermen meetings.

&uot;But the part I like is ‘justice for all,’&uot; Gray said. &uot;As a community, we need to live up to what it says.

Where the pledge specifies &uot;one nation under God,&uot; Gray added, &uot;we need to be one community. We need to say what we mean and mean what we say.&uot;

As for the Natchez-Adams School Board, they do not say the pledge either. Vice president Dale Steckler said she does not know why they do not but she would not be opposed to the idea.

&uot;I’ve never thought about us not doing it,&uot; Steckler said.

&uot;I wouldn’t have any problems doing it ,and I don’t have any problems not doing it.&uot;

The debate about having to say the pledge, and especially saying &uot;under God&uot; has made it all the way to the Supreme Court because one man, at least, has said he nor his daughter should have to say the pledge.

But for some it is a tradition that is very meaningful.

&uot;If you don’t want to say it, don’t say it,&uot; Stevens said.

&uot;Don’t tear down one of the main principles of this country because you don’t want to say it. To me, you just don’t question the pledge of allegiance.

&uot;This country was founded with certain principles, and I think those are strong and important and should be upheld. The rights of the group as a whole take precedence over the rights of any individual in the group. If you can’t say the pledge of allegiance to your country, if that offends you, then go live somewhere else.&uot;