152 replies to this topic

[Twilight]

I quit saying the pledge in 4th grade...
And then in High School my teacher told me I had to stand for the pledge and that since I was under 18 I had no rights.
So I started standing with my back to the flag.
She moved me to the back of the room.

[MattFestle]

ya. i agree with what people say here. its definately a form of brainwashing. having to recite this, without knowing the meaning. at our school, we aren't forced to do it. i dont stand up or say it, many at our school dont.

[steenie]

so why do americans need to pledge allegience to a flag?

[Floyd]

Because the government is insecure and knows they are not very good at what they are supposed to be doing. They don't want the citizens to try to put and end to the government because then they would be out of a job. They make you pledge to the flag so that you will be indoctrinated from birth, believing that to die serving an inanimate object representing a mass of land is the honorable thing to do and to disagree with it and the nation it represents will make you a traitor.

[Zane911]

steenie, on 16 June 2009 - 06:03 PM, said:

so why do americans need to pledge allegience to a flag?

Cause america is fucked up, but really it's a symbol of america and the pledge is so that we say we believe and put our faith in america.

[steenie]

hmm.

[Punk Rock Geek]

You know, for all of the PR that America does to make itself seem democratic and free, the pledge has got to be one of the most blatant forms of public brainwashing I have ever seen.  It's Twilight Zone-esque creepy.

[DanHughes]

I actually have a cool story about this. I got suspended in Eight Grade for refusing to stand and recite it. On my return I brought an essay citing supreme court cases and legalities proving I DO NOT have to participate. This provoked a written and verbal apology by the principal and the two teachers involved to me AND my parents. I'm gunna grab my xt Hard Drive and try to find the essay i hope i didnt delete it

[The Anarchist]

DanHughes, on 16 June 2009 - 09:56 PM, said:

I actually have a cool story about this. I got suspended in Eight Grade for refusing to stand and recite it. On my return I brought an essay citing supreme court cases and legalities proving I DO NOT have to participate. This provoked a written and verbal apology by the principal and the two teachers involved to me AND my parents. I'm gunna grab my xt Hard Drive and try to find the essay i hope i didnt delete it

Haha man that mustve hit them in their ego

[tiredoflies]

"...one nation, under god with liberty and justice for all"

except atheists


I stand up in acknowledgment for my country but I don't say the words because I don't necessarily agree with them

[KillBoY]

DanHughes, on 16 June 2009 - 09:56 PM, said:

I actually have a cool story about this. I got suspended in Eight Grade for refusing to stand and recite it. On my return I brought an essay citing supreme court cases and legalities proving I DO NOT have to participate. This provoked a written and verbal apology by the principal and the two teachers involved to me AND my parents. I'm gunna grab my xt Hard Drive and try to find the essay i hope i didnt delete it

I'd quite like to read that if you find it.

I find the whole pledge of alliegance thing a bit bizarre as we have nothing like that here in England. A lot of us don't even like our National anthem for two reasons mostly: firstly it's an awful song; and secondly it's about God (a being that a growing number of people do not believe exists) protecting the monarchy (which is an entity that a growing number of people are beginning to see for the scrounging leeches that they are).

[AWalKer]

DanHughes, on 16 June 2009 - 09:56 PM, said:

I actually have a cool story about this. I got suspended in Eight Grade for refusing to stand and recite it. On my return I brought an essay citing supreme court cases and legalities proving I DO NOT have to participate. This provoked a written and verbal apology by the principal and the two teachers involved to me AND my parents. I'm gunna grab my xt Hard Drive and try to find the essay i hope i didnt delete it

All the points I would make have been made. But this is great man. Well on you sir. I would love to read the essay =)

[ditaxdeath]

Aidyn, on 16 June 2009 - 02:09 AM, said:

In my school experience, it usually comes over the intercom and begins the morning announcements. Everyone stands, puts their hand on their heart, faces the flag, and recites it along with the person saying it over the intercom. In my school everyone would usually stand

thats how it is at my school, I have been standing the last couple days, but I'm stopping standing now

[Zane911]

i stand for like 5 seconds and then i say fuck this.

[ditaxdeath]

Zane911, on 20 June 2009 - 04:27 PM, said:

i stand for like 5 seconds and then i say fuck this.

Nobody even listens to what there saying, it funny to watch everybody raise and fall at the same time

[Zane911]

Hahha well really no kid in my school stands and says it there all like really i have to stand,

[ditaxdeath]

Zane911, on 20 June 2009 - 04:31 PM, said:

Hahha well really no kid in my school stands and says it there all like really i have to stand,

It must just be my schools that do this....

[Zane911]

well my school is supposed to say it and stand, but one on wants to and half the teachers don't care.

[klenole]

The Pledge annoys me... But I'm somewhat sad to say that one of my ancestors wrote the National Anthem...


Edit:
I was in bed this morning, and I couldnt go back to sleep, and I remembered this topic. So I decieed to make up my own pledge while I tried to go back to sleep... (I never went back to sleep. I just got up fifteen minutes later.)

I dont pledge alliegence to the bloody flag
Of the United States  of America
Or to the idiots for which it stands
One nation
Under some bastards
With liberty and justice for the rich.

Pretty bad, but hey, its better in my opinion to the original.

Edited by klenole, 21 June 2009 - 11:47 AM.

[Loki]

I went to a rural white bread high school. It was done everyday during homeroom. My friend and I were in study hall first period and we wouldn't stand. The monitor came over and told us to stand up, we refused because we took offense to the "under God" line (we were the more outspoken atheist in our school). They used the line that its respectful for our soldiers fighting for our freedoms in Iraq. We said we didn't agree with that war, as it had nothing to do with our freedoms. What finally happened was we had to at least stand up everyday, but didn't have to actually say the pledge or put our hands over our heart.