I think Madison's words here are extremely valuable, andworth not only a second look, but indeed a little meditation. I suggest we all consider the situation today in the light of this wisdom:

"As the greatest danger to liberty is from large standing armies, it is best to prevent them by an effectual provision for a good militia."

--James Madison

The core idea here is that militias would provide for the common defense, rather than a large standing army - whose presence Madison calls "the greatest danger to liberty" - and it was for this reason that the Founding Fathers wanted to guarantee the right of the People to bear arms.

As for the Pledge of Allegiance: we don't need it, however worded.

sp