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?"

If it were, "one nation, under Satan," would you be okay with your kids reciting it every day at school?

Whether or not you believe in God or not ( I do not), Satan obviously represents a symbol of evil. God does not. I also do not reject the the Declaration of Independence because it references a " Creator". Your Satan argument is sophomoric.

Anonymous wrote:No child has to say it; they do have to stand, though.

I am very conservative and yet I think it's a little creepy to pledge allegiance to a flag. I love our flag and I love seeing it fly, but there's something about chanting the pledge that I do find a bit odd. It is tradition, though, so I don't get too worked up about it.

The flag is obviously symbolic. You are not pledging allegiance to a piece of cloth, but rather to what the piece of cloth symbolically represents: a nation that stands for "liberty and justice for all". I am an atheist and have no problem with the "under God" line. It is a tradition. You are not required to worship or anything. It is part of our culture and tradition as Americans citizens to learn and recite the pledge as kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Va public schools recite it. Makes me uncomfortable, too.


Why does pledging allegiance to your nation make you uncomfortable? Part of school responsibility is to teach children how to be good citizens. What's the problem here?

No wonder there are so many anti-America Americans these days......

I don't know if you people are being willfully obtuse, or you aren't understanding the objection: the objection is NOT to the pledge of allegiance in general, and the patriotism behind it, and the love for this country, etc....the objection is purely to the fact that the words UNDER GOD are included in the pledge. Not everybody in this country worships god. The pledge is not being inclusive to all Americans. Now THAT'S anti-American.

I, too, recited it every day as a kid but I don't any more. I just stand quietly while everyone else does. My kids haven't asked about it but we'll talk about it when they do. Now that I have critical thinking skills, I don't believe in saying it. I'm not pledging allegience to a FLAG. I have no problem with the oath of office I take as a federal employee (see below). I think the pledge of allegiance is lame and do not believe this is a nation "under God". But, I have no problem saying "So help me God" in the oath of office because that is a personal belief. I do not believe God had anything to do with the founding of our government any more than She did with the founding/disintegration of any other government.

I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

Anonymous wrote:
Va public schools recite it. Makes me uncomfortable, too.


Why does pledging allegiance to your nation make you uncomfortable? Part of school responsibility is to teach children how to be good citizens. What's the problem here?

No wonder there are so many anti-America Americans these days......

Why horrified?

Anonymous wrote:I agree with 13:22 - just get your kids to say something else or stay silent for "under god." When I find myself in a situation where the pledge of allegiance is being said, I just don't say that part.

You people are nuts. I am horrified that anyone would suggest as such to a 5 year old.

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?"

Yeah, it's the "under God" part. I don't like that it was added or the reasons behind it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Va public schools recite it. Makes me uncomfortable, too.

Why does pledging allegiance to your nation make you uncomfortable? Part of school responsibility is to teach children how to be good citizens. What's the problem here?

preschoolers!!
they are in pre-school, learning colors and shapes and how to use scissors and to get used to being in a group

What does chanting the pledge of allegience do?
Make them more obedient 3 year olds who go to sleep when mother says so?

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?"

If it were, "one nation, under Satan," would you be okay with your kids reciting it every day at school?

No, because "God" and "Satan" stand for very different concepts.

For you, they stand for the same concept: "that which does not exist."

In reality, "God" stands for absolute Truth, Authority, Justice, and Right. A concept without which we would have no United States, because, as the Declaration states, "We are endowed BY OUR CREATOR with certain INALIENABLE RIGHTS."

Remove an objective standard of right and wrong, as in God's own laws, and all you have is a jumble of opinions, with no real meaning or power. No human rights. Just atoms coming together and falling apart.

So you have the right to remain silent. Because you are an American. And because you are human, with free will to choose what to believe or not believe. But the only reason you can even conceive of such concepts is because you were created in the image of God, with intellect and free will.

Anonymous wrote:

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?"

If it were, "one nation, under Satan," would you be okay with your kids reciting it every day at school?

[/b]No, I don't believe in Satan either, nor does my child.

[b]

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he did not exist."

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?"

If it were, "one nation, under Satan," would you be okay with your kids reciting it every day at school?

No, I don't believe in Satan either, nor does my child.

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?"

The GOD part, dummy.

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?"

If it were, "one nation, under Satan," would you be okay with your kids reciting it every day at school?

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?"