Your thoughts on National Anthem/Pledge of Allegience
In light of the whole debate stemming from the Colin Kaepernick situation, what are your views on the ldge of allegiance/nation anthem, and do you think it's disrespectful to not stand for it?
I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, and they taught us to only give glory to God, not man made government, so we weren't supposed to stand for the National Anthem or put our hand over our hearts for the Pledge at school. I never really thought it was a big deal until I noticed I would get strange looks from my classmates. One time at a baseball game, a bunch of adults gave me really dirty looks because I stayed seated during the NA. I would get so mad at my parents for making me not stand and felt ashamed.
I'm not a Jehovah's Witness anymore (agnostic now), but I kind of stopped caring once I realized how sh*tty America is and how all the lies of this country being amazing are just that, lies. Plus, the National Anthem was written in a terrible time in American history.
Tackling the bigger issue here, let me just say that nationalism is a subtle but deadly weapon that can turn a whole lot of people on each other simply because of where they originate from or live. I think this fact is absolutely insane since we're all ****ing people and where we come from really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
I think it's a biT disrespectful (depending on the context) to not partake in the Anthem. I do say the Pledge whenever it comes up, but I do not say "under God."
I think it's a biT disrespectful (depending on the context) to not partake in the Anthem. I do say the Pledge whenever it comes up, but I do not say "under God."
Why though? Why is there an unspoken requirement to pledge your allegiance to your country, even if it's done a good number of terrible things? Sure, we don't have to by legal law, but social law requires it and we're seeing right now what happens when someone with a name for themselves breaks it. It all boils down to the insanely rampant nationalism in the country. (Well, the US at least. I can't speak for other countries since I don't live there.)
I'm flatting with an American this semester and I was shocked that American children stand up and pledge allegiance to the flag EVERY DAY at school. That seems so creepy and cult-like to me
I'm flatting with an American this semester and I was shocked that American children stand up and pledge allegiance to the flag EVERY DAY at school. That seems so creepy and cult-like to me
!!!
Exactly, it really is creepy when you take a step back and look at it objectively. But it's also genius - making the children from a very young age pledge their loyalty and devotion to this made up thing we call a country so it will be so ingrained in their consciousness by the time they're old enough to form actual opinions about the world that most of them will never question the country's motives. I mean do you see the brilliance behind it? It's terrifying, brainwashing teas brilliance, but genius nonetheless.
And FYI, I'm very grateful to live in the US just in case people start saying I should leave if I don't like it here. I just don't let nationalism blind me into believing we're a perfect country, because we're not BY FAR.
It is mandatory. People died for America! Just take a stand if you're healthy enough. Like really.
On Kaepernik, I think he's a farce. Not standing for the pledge literally does nothing to help the cause.
But those people wouldn't have died if America didn't partake in senseless wars. The Iraq War was literally for nothing.
I have nothing but repect for the military, but if people really felt offended on behalf of them, veterans wouldn't get treated as sh**ty as they do by American government.
I've almost never stood up for the pledge nor the anthem since like, kindergarten I've only done that when a teacher asks me to (aka almost never lol!) just so I can avoid any problems
It's strange. As mentioned by others in this thread, it doesn't happen in other countries.
It happens in Canada as well.
Anyway, I've never cared for the national anthem, but I did stand up for it even in high school. Even if you were running late for class, you'd have to stop where you were and wait until the national anthem was over, and If you kept walking while it was still playing, you'd get in trouble by the hall monitor.
I have no issue with it. What always bugged me growing up was the fact that all kids (I'm from Texas btw) had to pledge allegiance to the Texas flag AND the U.S. flag plus have a moment of silence right afterwards. It just wasted good learning time.
I've been to high school in both Jordan and the United States and they both stand up in the morning (national anthem for Jordan, pledge of allegiance for the US).
It's weird, and like someone else mentioned, seems very cult-like. I think it would be more suitable if the morning announcer just said the pledge of allegiance/anthem words and called it a day. (without the words "under god" too)
I've only done that when a teacher asks me to (aka almost never lol!) just so I can avoid any problems