Teach me some stuff on USA

[Matt]

My family lived in California for a year and a half when I was a kid, and I remember them making us do the pledge thing every Monday (not every day, thank goodness). I never said it; the whole idea did sound creepy and since I felt no particular allegiance to the USA, it seemed like I'd be a big liar. Nobody seemed to mind, though.

I still refuse to say it - I'll start when/if I apply for US citizenship.

Like many other have said before, the line itself is a sad artifact of the rabid anti-bolshevik sentiment of the 1950's and certainly doesn't deserve any reverence.

That's why I find it offensive. It's symbolic of an age of rabid intolerance and paranoia. Religion shouldn't be used as a propoganda tool.

Honestly, as someone who believes in God, I think associating him with McCarthyism is really insulting. It's the whole "using the lord's name in vain" thing, but on another level.

[rezo]

Oh, I remember I was going to say it earlier, but I forgot. When I was in private school we had the pledge every morning, along with a prayer, as well as a weekly rendition of

" God Bless America ! - Land that I Love - Stand Beside Her and Guide Her, Through the Night with
the Light from Above. From the Mountains to the Prairies from the Ocean White with Foam , God Bless
America, My Home Sweet Home ---- God Bless America , My Home -- Sweet -- Home !!!!"


Also, I checked tvland.com to see when Get Smart was showing, and they don't have it on the schedule.

In conclusion, TVland sucks.

[Matt]

For us it was "My Country Tis of Thee". I can't believe I still remember it: "My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, to thee I sing. Land where my father died, land where the..."

Ring a bell for anyone?

I still think "God Save the Queen" whenever I hear that...

[Scourge]

I believe in Texas, California, Alaska and a couple of other states, that an extra tax is added. Star Wars: Galaxies is supposed to be $15 a month, but since I live in Texas, I'm charged an extra $1 in taxes.

I think Galaxies was made in Austin, so that would be why.

[Diff-chan]

Why is pledging allegiance to the flag seen as a good idea anyway? Shouldn't we be pledging to the country itself, and not a symbol? Oh, wait, that minor adjustment to the brainwashing might provoke individal and/or revolutionary thought...

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"

It's a good idea because its pledging allegiance to the ideas and ideals that the USA was formed upon. It's supposed to remind us of those ideas - life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, etc. See, if we were pledging allegiance to the country itself, then we are basically pledging allegiance to whoever's running it, and thus how different would it be from pledging allegiance to a King?

The pledge is supposed to remind us of that, and so that we know when the government's not doing what its supposed to and to remind us that we are a nation formed on ideas, not on Kings and Divine Rights. And it's the ideas that make the USA what it is.

And hey, it could always be worse

[Calliander]

I sure don't want some invisible person up in the sky in MY pledge, I'll tell you that much. When I used to say it in school I left the "under God" part out.

[Timber]

And hey, it could always be worse

This guy really looks like he needs a proper ass kicking

[Lhadatt]

and to the Republic for which it stands

I have nothing against that bit.

It's the flag bit I don't understand. Yes, it's useful as a symbol for all that stuff you mentioned. However, I don't see why pledging allegiance to the country itself is the same as pledging allegiance to the leaders of the country -- they are not mentioned, but the ideals the country was founded on are. My main concern with the flag bit is the symbol getting twisted into meaning something it doesn't -- the populace is already conditioned to respond to it, so it makes subversion of the ideals behind it that much easier.

[Wildkat]

And it says God, no specific God just God.

And what about none?


They should change it to "One Nation, Under the Dollar" that would be more acurate.

[NeoZeedeater]

As a non-American, I always found the pledge a little disturbing. It always struck me as a forced patriotism, like something China or the USSR would make their kids say.

Of course, if you grew up with it, it would probably feel as normal to you as brushing your teeth in the morning. I'm just giving my observation.