Why do we need to pledge allegiance to an inanimate thing, like a flag or a song?

[Bleacher Creature]

Last edited Wed Sep 27, 2017, 11:47 PM - Edit history (1)

The whole concept makes no sense to me. If we're going to pledge allegiance to anything, it should be to our fellow citizens, or to taking care of the planet. Hell, I'd have no problem pledging allegiance to certain principles like liberty, or community, or justice, or fairness.

I know that all sounds whacky, but is it any whackier than pledging allegiance to a thing?

[rzemanfl]

1. Better than having to pledge it to Twitler I suppose. nt

[marybourg]

2. . . . and to the Republic for which it stands . . . . nt

[defacto7]

5. One nation, indivisible...

Wait, that's the old version...

[fierywoman]

17. with liberty and justice for all ?!?!? ri-i-ight.

[Not Ruth]

3. It is like religion, basically mind control for the weak

[mitch96]

9. Yup, so we are confirming we are all part of the same club

And since we are in the same club y'all got to follow the rules..
m

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. We don't have to; the Supreme Court has already said so.

The only time anybody has to express their allegiance to anything is when officials and some others take an oath of office, which involves a promise to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. I'm OK with that.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. This sort of shit goes all the way back to the days of Caesar.

It's shoved down our throats from an early age. I have rejected it and ignored it most of my life now.
And I suggest at others do the same. It's all stupid and leads to conflict, hatred and other bad shit.

[defacto7]

7. Senseless repetition, programming, setting allegiance

in a child's mind and a memory recall device in adults who don't know better.

[mchill]

8. Germans never sing their anthem at sports events unless at an International Sporting event

They also would never dream of forcing "patriotism." We need to remove the idolatry of pins and flags and start upping the standard of what it means to be a real patriot.

[WheelWalker]

10. I will pledge allegiance to

the U.S. Constitution and to the Union. Call me old-fashioned.

[fierywoman]

18. I like your idea very much.

[bluepen]

20. Im with you.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

11. We don't "need" to do so, whether to an inanimate . . .

. . . or an animate object. To my mind, at least, the very notion of a making a unilateral, unenforceable "pledge" to anything is a pointless, indeed, silly exercise. Reciting one's marriage vows; taking an oath of office to "defend the Constitution," or whatnot, in assuming an office that requires such an oath; or swearing in court before giving testimony are meaningful acts insofar as they constitute a public acknowledgement of the change of status, or the attachment of real conditions, that are associated with one's making such a pledge, along with an acknowledgement that consequences can follow the violation of that pledge.

But "pledging allegiance" to the flag, or anything else, where the pledge itself is not in any real way binding, and to which no consequences attach, is a meaningless gesture, akin to some teenager telling another teenager that he/she will love the other "til the end of time" or whatever. Empty words. What's the point?

[Not Ruth]

12. Why do we swear an oath?

More of the same

[Algernon Moncrieff]

13. Because we love us some symbolism

Flags. Eagles. Flags carried by Eagles.

It also comes from church tradition. Simple prayers and symbols, like Santa Claus are used as an entry point to a larger faith.

[Not Ruth]

14. Words do not mean anything, at least not compared to actions, so get rid of the words

I think that is why tattoos are popular with couples, they demonstrate a lot more commitment than a vow or a ring.

[Thor_MN]

15. I can't remember the last time...

We were taught to say it in the first grade (no kindergarten where/when I was that age), but I can't remember saying it in school as an everyday thing past maybe third or fourth grade. That would have been 1972 or so. It was a regular thing in Boy Scouts, but that was over for me by 1977. Since then, I have probably said it fewer times than I have fingers.

Others have already answered your question, we pledge to more than just the flag. The flag is just a symbol. It would be hard to have the entire nation at every scout meeting...

[jcmaine72]

16. At the very least, I hope this latest Anthem controversy causes us to reevaluate the necessity

of such archaic symbolism. Like you, I believe we should pledge to take care of our fellow citizens and planet, not devote ourselves to some piece of cloth that many will always see (and justifiably so) as a symbol of their own oppression. The current Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem both need to go the way of school prayer. They both need to be permanently tucked away in that small niche in the back of our cultural closet that we have reserved for Confederate flags, Black & White drinking fountains, and every other piece of bigoted Americana that today we are rightfully ashamed of and no longer wish to see.

[ecstatic]

19. It also breaks a 10 commandment. Idolatry and all.. but

of course, that's all open to selective interpretation.

[longship]

21. The pledge was invented by a socialist in the late 19th century.

It was modified a couple of times before it was adopted by congress, sometime in the 20's or so (IIRC). "Under God" was added in 1954-5, endorsed by the Knights of Columbus.

Here: Pledge of Allegiance (at US History - org)

[Igel]

22. It's as wacky

as being outraged by a certain set of waveforms perceived by the ear.

But we like some sets of acoustic patterns and get bent out of shape over others. But they're all just symbols.

For some, symbols matter more than reality.