General Discussion

white_wolf

(6,257 posts) Mon May 21, 2012, 05:39 PM May 2012

Does anyone else have a problem with children saying the Pledge of Allegiance? [View all]

I don't know if it's still being done now, but when I was in highschool in 08 the Pledge was still said daily over the intercom and when I was elementary school the teachers would lead the class. Does anyone else have a problem with it? Children pledging their allegiance to the state before they are even old enough to understand what they are saying seems like a bad thing to do. It seems like it could foster strong and sometimes dangerous nationalist sentiment in later years. I know it isn't actually mandatory in schools, but you aren't ever told you don't have to do it and the pressure to conform is strong.

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Does anyone else have a problem with children saying the Pledge of Allegiance? [View all] white_wolf May 2012 OP

I find the idea of daily loyalty oaths silly at best at any age. (nt) Posteritatis May 2012 #1

Nope. I have no problem at all with it. lamp_shade May 2012 #2

I must have recited the Pledge a gillion times ... earthside May 2012 #3

Good post. white_wolf May 2012 #11

+1 Your post took the words right out of my mouth and left me breathless. left on green only May 2012 #23

This message was self-deleted by its author aikoaiko May 2012 #53

they still do it where my kids go to school. It feels weird ejpoeta May 2012 #4

No. nt bluestate10 May 2012 #5

I do. Happyhippychick May 2012 #6

I think daily loyalty oaths from children are creepy Warpy May 2012 #7

I remember in elementary school saying the pledge in catholic school. We didn't even say southernyankeebelle May 2012 #8

"Star Spangled Banner," actually. Codeine May 2012 #12

I still don't know what the Star Spangled Banner says. white_wolf May 2012 #15

The Star Spangled Banner is based on a poem Art_from_Ark May 2012 #48

And set to the tune of an old English drinking song. :) nt Javaman May 2012 #71

I must have read the name of that drinking song 100 times or more Art_from_Ark May 2012 #72

"To Anacreon in Heaven"` hifiguy May 2012 #74

Maybe this time I'll remember it Art_from_Ark May 2012 #77

I just misspelled it sorry. But it meant something to me and was always happy to say them. I southernyankeebelle May 2012 #34

I think it's stupid and archaic. Codeine May 2012 #9

That is my take on it also. Thanks. uppityperson May 2012 #19

Maybe.. whathehell May 2012 #25

Yup, I said it thousands of times in school and it was meaningless gibberish Raine May 2012 #31

I agree. RiffRandell May 2012 #37

Not in favor of it. GoneOffShore May 2012 #10

I stand for the national anthem, but I don't sing. Codeine May 2012 #14

Commie!!!! greytdemocrat May 2012 #13

I have a big problem with it Cali_Democrat May 2012 #16

Honestly SoutherDem May 2012 #17

Call them on it when they bring this shit up...CALL THEM ON IT HARD. LaydeeBug May 2012 #18

We tell our kids that they should stand for it, but they don't have to say it. Arugula Latte May 2012 #20

i think it's good for kids to know what our country stands for Enrique May 2012 #21

Every time I hear the pledge I think of this: abelenkpe May 2012 #22

It makes me think of prayers. Here's my customized hybrid version RZM May 2012 #80

No, as long as it is very truly voluntary to participate bluestateguy May 2012 #24

No, I had to say it and didn't make me some Raine May 2012 #26

My daughter stopped saying it in third grade. rug May 2012 #27

Nope. Skip Intro May 2012 #28

Nnnnnope. cherokeeprogressive May 2012 #29

Loyalty Day is such bullshit. white_wolf May 2012 #33

Tell it to Barack. whathehell May 2012 #35

Ze Google. Try it zometime. cherokeeprogressive May 2012 #36

It's still bullshit. white_wolf May 2012 #39

Sez you... whathehell May 2012 #41

Yeah. Fuck that holiday. nt daaron May 2012 #63

I missed that treestar May 2012 #65

Nope. whathehell May 2012 #30

No. Throd May 2012 #32

I was suspended in 6th grade for refusing to say the pledge in 1968 independentpiney May 2012 #38

My daughter all on her own stayed seated during the pledge. yellowcanine May 2012 #60

I think I was in the 4th grade Ship of Fools May 2012 #40

Doing away with the pledge will prompt a call for the Lord's Prayer CK_John May 2012 #42

I've never understood the need to say it EVERY F'N DAY! LeftofObama May 2012 #43

No. And complaining about it is a big vote loser. (nt) Nye Bevan May 2012 #44

I personally don't care for it - TBF May 2012 #45

If children weren't, the state wouldn't be doing its job The2ndWheel May 2012 #46

The whole idea of small children reciting something they don't understand ... surrealAmerican May 2012 #47

It's ridiculous RedCappedBandit May 2012 #49

No. nt hack89 May 2012 #50

Yes I always thought it was creepy. MadrasT May 2012 #51

I'm so old I had a teacher that refused to say the, under God, phrase that Egalitarian Thug May 2012 #52

I'm fine with my 7 yr old pledging to keep the nation whole, and liberty and justice for all. aikoaiko May 2012 #54

I would prefer that the government daily pledge its allegiance to our children. nt bemildred May 2012 #55

This! obamanut2012 May 2012 #58

Unrec. FSogol May 2012 #56

Yes obamanut2012 May 2012 #57

At least they don't do the "Heil Hitler" arm thrust anymore. yellowcanine May 2012 #59

Meh. JoePhilly May 2012 #61

red white and blue porn Generic Other May 2012 #62

I don't necessarily have a problem with it, but then don't see that it is needed, either treestar May 2012 #64

No problem with it at all - lynne May 2012 #66

It's pointless and silly. But I never wasted my time on nonsense like a 'Pledge'. randome May 2012 #67

the hippies that taught me when i was in elementary school (early 70s) datasuspect May 2012 #68

In theory yes, but it seems like a battle not worth fighting. Vidar May 2012 #69

The "Under God" is the only part that bugs me. raouldukelives May 2012 #70

I don't have any big issue with the original Pledge hifiguy May 2012 #73

I do. In America you are free to not have to have alliegence Dragonbreathp9d May 2012 #75

At worst, it's benign. At best, it's benign. LanternWaste May 2012 #76

I have a problem with it: cliffordu May 2012 #78

It's the original Loyalty Oath to the bosses. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2012 #79

I never liked it, didn't want to pledge allegiance to anything jp11 May 2012 #81