General Discussion

SoutherDem

(2,307 posts)

17. Honestly

Mon May 21, 2012, 05:58 PM

May 2012

I didn't know why or what I was really saying. I didn't even think of what the words meant until I was an adult.

I can't say I have a problem with it but it is a bit nationalistic and we do have a larger number of non-americans in our school now than when I was in school.

Also the under god part was added in either 1954 or 56, when publicly admitting you were an atheist might get you beat up as quick as admitting you were gay. For an atheist this might present a problem.

As to voluntary? Volunteering is helping hand out something for the teacher. To be told the pledge would be voluntary is asking for ridicule from the child of a right winger when someone choses not to do so.

It might be time to reconsider the pledge in school beyond part of history.

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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