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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Why is saying this a problem for some people? Because they take this pledge seriously. Because they believe very strongly in our country, and want to say the Pledge, but also have a problem with the attitude that they must believe in god in order to be a good citizen.
That's the part that most people don't seem to grasp. The attitude that they must believe in god in order to be a good citizen.
I don't know why people with strong convictions are told to not worry about those little words, while we are to believe that other people with strong convictions should be allowed to express theirs. How do we resolve this conflict? Take out the part that conflicts with the Constitution, I'd say. One of the principles that this country was founded on the is that one should not be bound by religion. Leave the statement in a form that *everyone* can pledge. Everyone can and should pledge his allegiance to his country. If he can't, he is one of those people who should leave it. I shouldn't be given the choice of "love it or leave it" just because I don't feel that God is a unifying entity in this nation.
That's another attitude that pisses me off. That people have their own view of what constitutes a good citizen, and anyone who doesn't fit that model is unpatriotic. That's why "under god" needs to be take out of the Pledge. Too many people are ostracized for not believing in god. People get along just fine until one day a kid is asked why he refuses to say a few little words, and then the whole town realizes that their neighbors are godless infidels.
And this all came about just to set us apart from the godless commies, back in the fifties.
Why is saying this a problem for some people? Because they take this pledge seriously. Because they believe very strongly in our country, and want to say the Pledge, but also have a problem with the attitude that they must believe in god in order to be a good citizen.
That's the part that most people don't seem to grasp. The attitude that they must believe in god in order to be a good citizen.
I don't know why people with strong convictions are told to not worry about those little words, while we are to believe that other people with strong convictions should be allowed to express theirs. How do we resolve this conflict? Take out the part that conflicts with the Constitution, I'd say. One of the principles that this country was founded on the is that one should not be bound by religion. Leave the statement in a form that *everyone* can pledge. Everyone can and should pledge his allegiance to his country. If he can't, he is one of those people who should leave it. I shouldn't be given the choice of "love it or leave it" just because I don't feel that God is a unifying entity in this nation.
That's another attitude that pisses me off. That people have their own view of what constitutes a good citizen, and anyone who doesn't fit that model is unpatriotic. That's why "under god" needs to be take out of the Pledge. Too many people are ostracized for not believing in god. People get along just fine until one day a kid is asked why he refuses to say a few little words, and then the whole town realizes that their neighbors are godless infidels.
And this all came about just to set us apart from the godless commies, back in the fifties.
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no subject
Date: 2002-06-26 10:19 pm (UTC)From:I remember loathing to say the pledge each morning of school as a child. Not because of the word God though, we didn't think of those things back then, but because if you didn't obey you were sent to the coat closet or worse, hit, or even sent to the principals office. I hated saying the words because I felt forced to and I wanted to rebel and not say them so sometimes I would say them so softly as if I wasn't saying them at all...that made me feel I was in control and not being controlled.
..
Date: 2002-06-27 05:03 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2002-06-27 06:36 am (UTC)From:I pledge to dishonour the Queen, talk down my country, and be embarrassed by my flag because of its extreme right-wing associations.
Seriously, I'm happy with being both English and British, but it's just what I am, not something I need to promise to be in a prescribed way. You should get rid of your pledge altogether, IMHO.
no subject
Date: 2002-06-27 07:32 am (UTC)From:Here there is plenty of discussion about the boundaries of the nation. Many Scots wouldn't accept a pledge to the UK. Many English are worried about being subsumed in the EU.