Standing or not for the Pledge of Allegiance?

I always stood for it when I was in school but I don't think we ever did it after 8th grade. I remember in 7th grade we had one kid who would leave the classroom while everyone did the pledge. He said it was against his religion.

At this point I would probably not stand but it has not come up in my life for many years.

 

I stand for it because I don't have any statements I want to make, and I don't feel a need to make myself stand out. I don't think it's disrespectful to not stand, I really don't care one way or the other. That guy in your class kind of sounds like a jerk, it's just a difference of opinion.

 

Definitely standing. The Pledge of Allegiance is about loyalty and patriotism for your Country. The good news is that we live in a free society and anyone who doesn't choose to be loyal or feel patriotic to their Country is free to leave and find another country to live in which they find agreeable.

 

I don't, because the pledge's stance of "liberty and justice for all" is a fallacy--but that's just me. I can't feel patriotic about a nation that fucks its people over so much (let alone one where Donald Trump is a presidential candidate).

Also, the notion that if you don't want to stand for the pledge then you can "go somewhere else" is fucked up and unfair. Your first amendment rights protects you in all regards. Plus, does anyone know how fucking hard it is to actually move to another country and gain citizenship (if that's something they wanted to do)?

 

I find it funny how having such a pledge or even displaying our flag in school or at home would be an act of inappropriate unforgivable patriotism here in Germany.

 

I think it's deplorable that children are taught and forced to recite he pledge on a daily basis, when very few of them even understand what it means. To hell with the pledge.

 

I stood for it in school simply b/c they told us to. I didn't understand what it meant until later on in life. I don't recall us doing the pledge much at all in High School..but if I had the option of standing or remaining seated, I'd probably prefer the latter seeing as I've said and participated in the pledge every school day from Kindergarten to 8th grade; why should I have to say it again? Now the National Anthem, that's different, I would totally stand for it in honor of those who lost their lives to bring to this country the freedoms we bask in (and sometimes take for granted) today. Soldiers and non-soldiers like Civil Rights Activists.

 

I'm pretty sure the last time I heard or saw the pledge of allegiance was about 35 years ago, but if I was somewhere and they were saying it I suppose I would stand...

 

It's interesting to see that it's an issue in America. I don't really see the point in officially "pledging loyalty to the country".. Seems kind of unnecessary and redundant to me. Personally, if I were American, I would never stand for the pledge. I find the message mediocre and it could be a lot more inclusive.. So no, I'd never stand for the pledge (in its current form).

 

That's half of my reason for not doing so anyway, I'm not too fond of the "Under God" added by red scare fear mongering either. They want to make me put my hand on a book of archaic laws I don't abide by, and swear in to a being I don't believe in. In a constitutionally secular but otherwise theocratic state. Claims to be the pinnacle of freedom but tends to only get civil rights advancement when it's pressured by the rest of the world being ahead.

So no, I'd always keep my spot until they break the constitution again to force me up.

 

Would I were I an american citizen? No.

I am quite interested in as to why the "One nation under God" part was added in 54? Isn't it kinda against the first amendment to "force" people to recite this line since it kinda implies that A. you are religious a.k.a. not atheistic and B. you believe in one God specifically the christian god

Also the line about liberty and justice for all is just bogus. If there was liberty for all then nobody would have less rights based on sexuality or anything of the likes. The most ridiculous thing is when Christians scream religious freedom while at the same time taking away other people's liberties. Let's get one thing straight. Religious freedom means you get to have your personal religion and live your life according to that religion if you so please. However the second you force your religion onto others you have overstepped the boundaries of your religious freedom. For example with the gay marriage discussion and all the butthurt christians: the legalization of same sex marriage gives everyone the choice to marry either sex regardless of their gender. So if your religion tells you not to marry the same sex well then... don't. Simple as that.

On the topic of freedom and liberty lets not forget that in america people are imprisoned for profit.... Yeah. That's pretty fucked up, and well... severly ironic. Freedom to take away freedom I guess :lol:

PS. Is there a word for "freedom to take away freedom" because I think there should be.

 

It's "interesting" for me too. I'm American, have lived in the States for my whole life and haven't heard the pledge of allegiance since the early eighties--I guess Utah was more of a bastion of liberalism than I realized.:lol:

 

First, the Founding Fathers did not specify whose “God” should be worshiped and intentionally wrote a mandate against a State-imposed religion into the Bill of Rights. Second, no one is "forcing" anyone to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. But standing in respect of others reciting it is a different issue.

See my statement above. Christian does NOT equal US Government, even though Christianity has clearly heavily influenced the US Government since it's founding. There is NO State religion in the US - by law. So don't blame people's fears and prejudices on the very flexible system of government that our Founding Fathers developed.

Yes, it’s called Tyranny. And that’s when you don’t get the luxury to speak your mind or decide whether or not to stand while the Pledge of Allegiance is recited or get to change the current ‘oppressive’ laws under an open Constitution. Is Tyranny preferential to an open system of government that has a process for changing laws and fixing the (sometimes misguided) attitudes of previous generations?

---------- Post added 29th Sep 2016 at 07:41 PM ----------

Utah wasn't a bastion of liberalism. Ever since the LDS founded the state (Deseret), it was supposed to be a separate country from the US. Liberalism isn't the issue there.

 

I always refused to acknowledge it in any way because I refuse to pledge my allegiance to any government. The nationalism of it disgusts me.

In high school I would remain seated and listen to this song; I thought it was more appropriate:
[YOUTUBE]Rr8ljRgcJNM[/YOUTUBE]

 

Browncoat,

I feel sorry that you can't feel pride in being an American - the Pledge of Allegiance is to your Country, not your current Government. Personally, I have literally fought for your right to express your opinion under the First Amendment. If you were to do the same, maybe you would have a different perspective. Regardless, I still respect you point of view. I just don't agree with it.:icon_sad:

 

No, I mean any government, irrespective of its perceived values. I would say more, but it would likely only offend you.

 

Browncoat,

Clearly, I have VERY strong views about the American system of government. But I don't offend easily and I am certainly open to other points of view. Plus, I LOVE a good argument - I usually come away with a modification to my point of view.

So, please go ahead. I absolutely don't want to even implicitly suppress your point of view and I would love to hear it.

---------- Post added 29th Sep 2016 at 08:32 PM ----------

Incidentally, Browncoat, I love Rammstein.

 

I don't stand... this is coming from somebody who sang the pledge of allegiance in front of my entire school in elementary. I don't think I'm "less patriotic" by not standing, though tbh I wouldn't go out of my way to identify as a patriot either... I think the pledge is a symbol of what the world has slowly fought off tbh, which is nationalism and forcing beliefs unto other people. :/ I think we should make like Germany and discard that very dark piece of our history... I am yelled at a lot by teachers and students alike, but I will never stand for the pledge again unless the words are changed to make it clear that the pledge is JUST about loving our country- not fighting for it, not what it believes in, not even that it's somehow superior... just that we love it. Even then, you're free to not stand, just like you're free to burn flags, but I think that if our pledge was just about loving our country, there would be a lot more standing.