Pledging Alligence
May. 8th, 2007 07:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
charliesmumI have a question for you all.
Back when I was in the 8th grade my English teacher, who was also my homeroom teacher* told us he didn't believe in standing up for the 'Pledge' every morning. He gave us the option, of course, but he didn't make us do it. While I don't remember his exact arguments against it, I remember being influenced by it. Probably had something to do with Vietnam or something. He was a Baby Boomer.
Then, not long after that, I read A Children's Story by James Clavell, and that really influenced me. It's a very short story about Russia** taking over America, and this teacher managing to convert an entire classroom of Kindergartners in 25 minutes because, while they teach us how to do the pledge, they never explain what it means or why we do it.
It's true. For years I said 'Pledge The Legience', because I had no idea what I was saying. And how many kids know what 'indivisible' means? And why are we offering our allegiance to a flag, anyway? What's allegiance?
And now at all of Charlie's baseball games there is that moment where the National Anthem is played, and everyone stands up with their hands on their hearts, and I stand there every time and wonder why we do this. It strikes me as a bit fascist, really. According to Eddie Izzard (shut up, I think he's brilliant) Americans and the Ancient Romans were the only ones to do that.
I mean, I like my country. I grew up here. I like that I can complain about the president without worrying that someone is going to break down my door.*** But I feel uncomfortable pledging my allegiance to it, because currently I'm not all that crazy about the direction the country is headed.
So, my questions.
To Americans: What do you think of pledging to the flag and putting your hand over your heart and all that?
To non-Americans: Is your national anthem played at all sports things? Do you have some sort of flag ceremony in school?
I'm really curious about this.
____________________________________________
*He was totally awesome, actually; a rotund, brilliant man who did magic at children's parties.
**You see kids, back in the day the Soviets were our Sworn Enemies, not the Middle East.
***For now
Back when I was in the 8th grade my English teacher, who was also my homeroom teacher* told us he didn't believe in standing up for the 'Pledge' every morning. He gave us the option, of course, but he didn't make us do it. While I don't remember his exact arguments against it, I remember being influenced by it. Probably had something to do with Vietnam or something. He was a Baby Boomer.
Then, not long after that, I read A Children's Story by James Clavell, and that really influenced me. It's a very short story about Russia** taking over America, and this teacher managing to convert an entire classroom of Kindergartners in 25 minutes because, while they teach us how to do the pledge, they never explain what it means or why we do it.
It's true. For years I said 'Pledge The Legience', because I had no idea what I was saying. And how many kids know what 'indivisible' means? And why are we offering our allegiance to a flag, anyway? What's allegiance?
And now at all of Charlie's baseball games there is that moment where the National Anthem is played, and everyone stands up with their hands on their hearts, and I stand there every time and wonder why we do this. It strikes me as a bit fascist, really. According to Eddie Izzard (shut up, I think he's brilliant) Americans and the Ancient Romans were the only ones to do that.
I mean, I like my country. I grew up here. I like that I can complain about the president without worrying that someone is going to break down my door.*** But I feel uncomfortable pledging my allegiance to it, because currently I'm not all that crazy about the direction the country is headed.
So, my questions.
To Americans: What do you think of pledging to the flag and putting your hand over your heart and all that?
To non-Americans: Is your national anthem played at all sports things? Do you have some sort of flag ceremony in school?
I'm really curious about this.
____________________________________________
*He was totally awesome, actually; a rotund, brilliant man who did magic at children's parties.
**You see kids, back in the day the Soviets were our Sworn Enemies, not the Middle East.
***For now
