pledge of allegiance in schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I may be an idiot for not getting the official legal definition of treason down perfectly, but you still didn't answer my question. If you're so adverse to pledging your allegience to this country, what are you going to do in war? allign with your other countries?

What every good American does. Peacefully protest unethical practices your country engages in, and work with the system to change/end them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is saying the pledge optional?
It is not like those who do not say it can be in another room doing some other activity. If you do not say it everyone knows and that reflects badly on you. There are social consequences and teachers attitudes and so on

I've never experienced any negative consequences as a result of not saying the pledge, and I stopped saying it in elementary school. Of course, I suppose it depends on your environment. I prefer to avoid environments where not saying the pledge is assumed to reflect badly on you.

I tried not saying the Pledge once -- I was in 3rd grade. The teacher stopped the class in the middle of the pledge and asked me what I was doing. She just stood there, glaring at me, until I said sorry, and started saying the pledge. I never tried not saying it again.

I'm guessing this was in the late '70s. You do realize a lot has changed since then, right? Or do you still use rotary dial phones, and put a LP on when you get home from the market?

Mid-80's actually. Just sharing my experience -- unclench, dear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I may be an idiot for not getting the official legal definition of treason down perfectly, but you still didn't answer my question. If you're so adverse to pledging your allegience to this country, what are you going to do in war? allign with your other countries?

You do realize that many Americans who have only one nationality do not necessarily align themselves with the US government every time we go to war, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I may be an idiot for not getting the official legal definition of treason down perfectly, but you still didn't answer my question. If you're so adverse to pledging your allegience to this country, what are you going to do in war? allign with your other countries?

I feel allegiance, but the First Amendment means that I cannot be forced to SAY it on a daily basis in my normal life.

I am not averse to my children saying it, if that is what they want to do. I am, however, averse to them (or anyone) being MADE to say it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not very religious...and I absolutely love the pledge of allegiance ...I got very emotional when my Kindergartner did it last year. It brought back so many great school memories.

I am a traditionalist about this and feel it should be chanted the way it was intended. If it helps...I know some little kids that say "under Dog" ...maybe you could teach your kid to recite it this way.

+1

I loved saying the pledge growing up & taking turns leading the pledge in class.

Am I missing something, but why is there a need to pledge every day
Isn't a pledge something like an oath. So why make an oath daily? Are you that wishy washy that it has to be a daily occurence?

Not wishy washing. We did this in elementary school, as kids. I'm just saying I have fond memories of doing it and wouldn't have any problem with my own kids doing it today - with or without the god part (I am not christian, we don't go to church etc, but whatever).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I may be an idiot for not getting the official legal definition of treason down perfectly, but you still didn't answer my question. If you're so adverse to pledging your allegience to this country, what are you going to do in war? allign with your other countries?

I'm 12:45 and 12:49. It wasn't because you're tossing around words you don't understand. You're an idiot for jumping to the conclusion that being adverse to the pledge of allegiance as anything whatsoever to do with your loyalty to the country. Fallacy of logic and clear thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is amazing to me. I was reading through the debate about God being recited in the pledge and respected those opinions opposite of mine and thought about it and was enjoying the debate.

Somehow, now it's turned into a "I don't even want my kids to recite the pledge of allegience in school" debate? It's astounding. Let me ask those of you with multi-country loyalties (I'm talking to you, 4-passport poster) and others who so proudly don't want to recite the pledge. If this country was in war with one of your other countries, where would your loyalties lie? You are pledging your allegience to this country. It means that you will align yourself with the country in which you live and whose government you support when we are at war. If you feel SO strongly that you do not want to align with the US, then what's to stop you from disclosing our national secrets (if you know of any) to your country?

You do realize that violating your allegience to your sovereign is called treason, right?

You're not thinking clearly.

Not wanting to recite a pledge =/= treason
Not wanting to recite a pledge =/= disloyalty
Not wanting to recite a pledge =/= willing to sell national secrets

It simply means they don't want to recite a pledge. We all have that choice to make.

Should we build internment camps for Jehovah's Witnesses? Perhaps they can't be trusted because they refuse to pledge allegiance to anything other than God.

[Anonymous]

Jehovas witnesses are right
One god means only one divinity that you worship. Flags and governments are created, invented by men

I do not like it because of the subtle insinuation of like it or leave it, in other words don't criticize

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jehovas witnesses are right
One god means only one divinity that you worship. Flags and governments are created, invented by men

I do not like it because of the subtle insinuation of like it or leave it, in other words don't criticize

I agree with this.

I am also bothered by the singing of the National Anthem at sports events (including at swim meets we attend at local pools). I don't see the need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I may be an idiot for not getting the official legal definition of treason down perfectly, but you still didn't answer my question. If you're so adverse to pledging your allegience to this country, what are you going to do in war? allign with your other countries?

Not the PP you're responding to but I already took an oath "to support and defend the Constitution against all enemeis, foreign and domestic". It is unconstitutional to require someone to say the pledge of allegiance, just like it's unconstitutional to prohibt flag burning. Just because you disagree with someone's words or actions doesn't mean they don't have a right to say or do it. It doesn't mean they are seditious or treasonous.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I see it now! If you are going to commit treason, you will not say the pledge of allegiance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this whole thread makes me sad.

Me too, and I'm not some jingoistic "American! Fuck yeah!" asshole.

What's wrong with children reciting the pledge. Why on earth would it make you feel "uncomfortable?"

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this whole thread makes me sad.

Me too, and I'm not some jingoistic "American! Fuck yeah!" asshole.

What's wrong with children reciting the pledge. Why on earth would it make you feel "uncomfortable?"

+1

Read the thread for the answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not wanting to recite a pledge =/= treason
Not wanting to recite a pledge =/= disloyalty
Not wanting to recite a pledge =/= willing to sell national secrets

It simply means they don't want to recite a pledge. We all have that choice to make.

Should we build internment camps for Jehovah's Witnesses? Perhaps they can't be trusted because they refuse to pledge allegiance to anything other than God.

And you and the PPs are all jehovahs witnesses, right? Come on - not, you are just LOONS.

Obviously, jehovahs witnesses have a religious reason and right not to recite it. I don't find that un-American and frankly disgusting. But all of you loon posters who refuse to say it just because, or just for the principle or notion or whatever is just repulsive. I wish you would just leave the country or at least stay in the city limits of DC.

[Anonymous]

Every day soldiers are getting their arms and legs blown off locking and loading for YOU, and you cannot even feel like reciting the pledge of allegiance?

You are that selfish?

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go tell a wounded veteran that - I DARE you.