Thursday, July 1, 2010

The Pledge of Allegiance....WHY?

“The principal wanted to be very respectful about the pledge and be sensitive to the Supreme Court ruling that students are not forced to say the pledge. He wanted to be sensitive to the diverse group of students we have.
HERE is the story about a Massachusetts school and the Pledge of Allegiance. Now, I know that liberals don't much like saying t
he pledge or wearing flag pins, but, I'm thinking that 'diverse groups of students' and their families have come to this country to escape their own countries or at least find a better opportunity here, some have lived OFF this country, and maybe they should want to pledge allegiance to their new homeland? But, of course, liberals have made it so our own students don't much respect this country enough to pledge anything to it, either, so why would we expect them to respect us when our own don't?
From the article: Charles Skidmore, principal of Arlington High School in Arlington, Mass., has offered to allow students to recite the pledge before school begins -- but in the school's foyer and not in the classrooms, as 17-year-old Harrington had hoped. (Harrington is the High School Senior who fought to get the Pledge BACK at his school)
Imagine that we'll have discussion at GeeeeZ about "should we be FORCED to say the Pledge of Allegiance" in America!? Who ever felt forced to when we were in school? Why are kids made to feel that way today?
How do you feel about removing the pledge so we don't offend anybody?
z

34 comments:

Mark said...

That's ridiculous. Just another example of the wussification of America.(the working title of the book I intend to write)

Disposing of our liberties one at a time on the off chance that a minority of people might be offended.

This is shaping up to be one hell of a book!

Lana said...

The people that flee their home countries to come to the USA to seek a better life should pledge their allegiance to their new country. If they don't want to, then return to their homeland. I love the Pledge of
Allegiance and wish it was recited everyday on all the morning network shows and in all schools across America.

Faith said...

Is there anything that can stop this galloping multiculturalist postmodernist moral relativist political correctness before it completely unravels this country?

Z said...

Faith, we'd have to stop the left and the left's media...convince leftist teachers that indoctrination is unethical, remind Americans that we are an exceptional country, stop.....

.......well, in a word? NO. I don't see it happening.

Mark, you'd better write FAST because things are happening so horribly fast.

Lana, from your lips to God's ears.

Right Wing Extreme said...

We're freakin' doomed.

Z said...

I think you're right, RWE, I hate to admit it, but I think you're right.

Right Wing Extreme said...

Not to be negative, just feeling particularly depressed about our fates today.

Z said...

I know, RWE, you're a good person and good people in America today have plenty reason for concern.
Yet, we have to trust and know that we'll make it through this. we ARE "One nation UNDER GOD"

Right Wing Extreme said...

maybe it is time to get a secessionist movement going. The One ain't got the balls to stop it, and the lefties would probably be happy to see the back of us. Then they could go to hell in their own way.

Z said...

RWE, I think he'd declare Martial Law or close the internet down. I think he might not have the nerve, but his puppet masters do.

LASunsett said...

How about letting those who do not want to say it, remain seated quietly and not infringe on other people's rights to say it?

What are they afraid of?

After all, they are just words....right?

Z said...

LA, I think that's not a bad idea...But, I hope I'm never there to see a bunch of American indoctrinated kids sitting there dissing the Pledge ...it would hurt terribly.
A question I'd ask the leftists is "Why didn't we have a problem saying it when WE were kids?" What happened?

Obviously, you can't make anybody do anything but, it's like school prayer...all they wanted was a moment of silence in which kids could do anything they wanted to do, but it was too threatening to someone, apparently. I mean, the left makes it like Conservative Christians were demanding every kid learn THE LORD'S PRAYER in six languages and recite it aloud every day.

Right Wing Extreme said...

Well in kindergarten we learned the Lord's Prayer in English and Latin, in the school. But then again I went to Catholic School sooooooo.....yeah.

FrogBurger said...

I'm a bit perplexed about the Pledge of Allegiance's history which I read in Liberal Fascism and the details on Wikkipedia.

I'm happy to pledge allegiance to the Constitution and its principles. But let's say we have a communist or fascist regime, I'm not sure I'd like the kids to pledge allegiance every day. And I would hate to do it too.

My Libertarian beliefs are really bothered by this. For example, I disagree with many aspects of the French constitution and would not pledge allegiance to it. Nor would I have pledge allegiance to the flag of occupied France of Vichy.

Z said...

FrogBurger, you make an excellent point which I've considered. Do we really WANT or NEED to vow allegiance to our country via its flag? NO.

Here's what I think: we used to say it and nobody QUESTIONED it, so I have this kind of rigor to get it BACK,..like with the flag pin, who really CARES who wears one or not? It doesn't show patriotism. But, AFTER 9/11, I'll never forget a TV converation between Brokaw and Phil Donahue, smugly discussing how SILLY it was that people think wearing that flag is so important.
They talked of not wearing one with PRIDE.
THAT's what bugs me...
WHY NOW? That's the question...getting back to the flag (because I don't give a poop about the flag pin), why NOW stop the Pledge?

Anonymous said...

"Is there anything that can stop this galloping multiculturalist postmodernist moral relativist political correctness before it completely unravels this country?"

Yep...there is. And it's called a Revolution. First at the polls. And then knowing and realizing that that won't / doesn't work as it was intended to ( money, power, greed, corruption, apathy and sleeze trumps all good intentions )..will America wake up to the dire threat that exists for all to see and feel....every goddamn day...will we rise up.

First stop...Arizona's borders.

Major


BTW...suck it up quacky.

Brooke said...

The pledge is an important piece of histroy which should be taught.

I agree with LA's opinion.

FrogBurger said...

Is it true that the pledge's author Francis Bellamy was a Christian socialist as wikkipedia points out?

Just that makes me more perplexed. I smell collectivism in it. It's about ONE nation, not the individuals being the fabrics of the nation.

That's what bugs me. And it doesn't mean one cannot be proud. I'm prouder to be an American citizen than a French one. I'd rather have allegiance to the US constitution and principles than the ones of France.

Anonymous said...

A democratic system such as ours is a perfect breeding ground for communism —up to that point when the Obamaniacs start rounding up people to place them into holding pens until citizens’ committees can determine whether they should be killed or sent off to re-education camps.

So people have a right NOT to say the pledge of allegiance and we might appreciate their honest unwillingness to stand with America. Seriously, what spineless bastard wants to place his or her life on the line for (gasp) other people?

I think the issue is one of crappy parents. My parents taught me the importance of allegiance to the Constitution of the United States —and our founding principles as set forth in the Bill of Rights. They taught me our flag represents our history and the sacrifice of our forefathers so that we can have an America today. This is all largely lost upon leftist parents, and by extension, their leftist brats.

In a democracy, we can’t force parents to behave a certain way, no more than we can force a 10-year old kid to say the Pledge of Allegiance if he would rather be the grand marshal in a parade for queers.

Faith said...

I get it, Z, it's not that our pledging allegiance is the main thing, it's the implied disrespect for the country and all it stands for in those who are objecting, and I agree. I can also agree with Frogburger in a way but we aren't France and America as originally conceived deserves our allegiance. However, I can also think of another objection, which is that some Christians understand Biblical teaching to oppose any sort of pledge -- oath -- of allegiance, to anything other than God Himself. But in that case I think the person would quietly and respectfully simply sit it out. None of that sneering from the anti-American "Americans."

Ducky's here said...

One thing to remember is that the Pledge is a socialist statement written in the late 19th century by one of the Bellamy brothers.

There wasn't much resistance till it was challenged after the "Under God" clause was inserted during the McCarthy hearings and after that it was downhill.

The atheists had the angle they needed to challenge it and then compulsory recitation was shot down as a 1st Amendment matter. Myself, I don't think compulsion means much before the age of majority but there you have it.

Chuck said...

It comes down to who they want to offend.

We can choose to offend a few atheists or a lot of Christians. As usual the school district went for the Christians.

Z said...

Chuck says "We can choose to offend a few atheists or a lot of Christians. As usual the school district went for the Christians."

Man, were truer words every said? Succinct, true and maddening.

Ducky, "Under God" has absolutely NOTHING to do with mcCarthy!! MY GOSH, look it UP! :-)

Mustang, I think crappy parents are responsible for a lot of this, too.

FrogBurger, I'm not sure it's collectivism, but Americans do feel ONE, united by this great country which in some ways is represented by our stars and stripes......don't forget "with LIBERTY..." individuals living together in this great land...

Sad that "indivisible" might not stand anymore

Major, "killer moon god" cracked me up!

Faith, funny you should say that...at our preschool at our church, they say the pledge to the Christian flag. I wasn't raised with that and it bugs me a lot when I hear it..why, I don't know, it just does. It seems so ...icky. I mean, we don't need to pledge allegiance to a flag to GOD! I just Googled it and none of the words I read sound familiar but that can be only because I"ve never really paid attention to the words as the kids say them. It REALLY bugs me. (they say the Pledge of Allegiance, too, by the way)

FrogBurger said...

FrogBurger, I'm not sure it's collectivism, but Americans do feel ONE

They do around some core values. But I don't think all of them are ready to stick as one if those values are attacked. I personally don't want to feel as one under a socialist/communist/fascist regime that would totally eliminate the constitution. In that situation, I would not oppose any state that would want to secede.

Z said...

"eliminate the constitution?" NO WAY! I"m with you, FB

Anonymous said...

No! These are not "just" words. Words mean something. A pledge is a vow, and the Pledge of Allegiance means something.

You can make a 10 year old stand and pay respect to his country. It's called teaching the importance of gratitude and honoring everything this country stands for. It's called loving your country enough to pay homage to it. An important lesson.

I'm surprised a bit at how excuses are made for dismissing the importance of a great symbolic expression of loyalty. It matters.

Whatever the regime, or administration, we're not pledging allegiance to men, we're pledging allegiance to a country founded on the principles of freedom. No matter who is in charge at the moment, those principles should be re-enforced, not diluted in the name of political correctness.

If some are uncomfortable with it, so be it. Let them squirm. We don't throw away our expressions of loyalty for the benefit of those who seek to destroy them or some weak knee'd excuse to "fit in" because it's more comfortable at the moment.

Too many have died in the name of what that flag represents, and still are.

We step up, and speak the pledge louder and with more conviction than ever before. It was never more needed than it is now.

Pris

Z said...

Pris, you know, I never looked at it from the GRATITUDE aspect of it. But I think that's what I FELT standing before the flag, saying the Pledge.. Gratitude for what the flag stands for is what I was taught to feel, by my parents, teachers, etc.

Man, I knew something was missing in this post and the comments because I felt something I couldn't grasp and you hit the nail on the head...GRATITUDE is why we say the Pledge

Thanks, Pris..excellent reminder. xxx

FrogBurger said...

I'm surprised a bit at how excuses are made for dismissing the importance of a great symbolic expression of loyalty. It matters.

I agree on the importance of the symbol. I loved the citizenship ceremony for that.
But I think it comes with a set of values defined by the foundations of this country. And so to me it cannot be separated. If the values change drastically, then what are we supposed to do?

I am going to use my personal example. I can barely sing the French national anthem. I don't like it because of how the French revolution turned out to be. It started well then it turned into state terrorism and genocide. I do feel guilty for it. But what should I do then since it's against my ideals?

Anonymous said...

FB... you are no more responsible for the aftermath of the French Revolution than I am for slavery in America or the imposition of Jim Crow laws in the south. No country's history is perfect; no country's history is entirely comfortable. It is what it is.

History has but one (1) objective; learn so as not to repeat mistakes of the past. I'll let you be the judge of whether that happened in France, but I am convinced that Americans have not learned many lessons at all. Relearning them may be a painful experience for us all.

Semper Fidelis

Z said...

thanks, Mustang, very well said. And yes, if we get a chance to have to relearn, it'll be painful.

By the way, I love Les Marseilles.

FrogBurger said...

FB... you are no more responsible for the aftermath of the French Revolution than I am for slavery in America or the imposition of Jim Crow laws in the south. No country's history is perfect; no country's history is entirely comfortable. It is what it is.

Except that in the case of the French revolution, it's the foundations of the country that are involved. This is what created the French Republic and its principles. The fact that the State is above everything. This is what made people justify terror, murder in the name of the Revolution. Something that set the stage for the 1918 revolution. Moderates, who would have led a American-like revolution, were guillotined.

FrogBurger said...

I love Les Marseilles.

It is nice. Very bloody though. Not directly related to the French revolution. More to the fight against Prussia and Austria.

Anonymous said...

I retired to an unincorporated community in northern Wisconsin. Apparently the liberals haven't reached completely into this area. We say the Pledge of Allegiance before each Town Board Meeting. It was refreeshing to see.

psi bond said...

I don't think the pledge of allegiance became controversial until it was amended to include the phrase "under God". It was not because Americans don’t love their country, as extremists believe.