It is telling to me that conservatives and the far right equate the National Anthem and the flag

[madamesilverspurs]

6. Jingoism.

Been thinking about that, about how it demands ritualization of things that should never become habit; about how its forced repetitions can change profundity into meaninglessness.

At least once a day some meme shows up implying that evil liberals are trying to keep the Pledge of Allegiance out of schools, typically by someone who goes ballistic when it's noted that the original, written by a socialist, did not contain the words "under God."

And now we are being treated to memes asserting that those who kneel during the National Anthem are worthy of condemnation, even though there is no law governing when, where, or how often it's played, nor how those in attendance are to behave toward it. There is no law requiring either the pledge or the anthem before every public gathering; yet heaven help any poor misguided citizen who attempts to open a board meeting or a discussion panel or a freaking tournament of any kind without one or the other.

Any six-year-old can recite the Pledge while having no comprehension of its meaning. Those who sing the anthem often strain with the notes while mouthing words that can be recited while mentally compiling a shopping list, such is the nature of habit.

Obligatory repetition is neither citizenship nor patriotism. The exercise of our constitutional rights IS.