primitives discuss hating America

[USA4ME]

Cyrano
 
So what do you think about "The Pledge of Allegiance" in public school?

DUer Hedgehog posted an OP poll a while ago asking if you had prayers in public school. I didn't.

But to me, having to say the Pledge of Allegiance at public school assemblies was disturbing. Yeah, I recited it along with everyone else, but I had no idea why and it bothered me.

It was many years before I finally figured out why all of us kids were being programmed to mouth the pledge. Some might call it "patriotism," others might call it "tribalism," and still others might call it "teaching the young."

I call it brainwashing.

What is the pledge but a "loyalty oath?" It's the conditioning of young minds to think a certain way. It's brainwashing. And at that age, children are being forced to commit themselves to something they are incapable of understanding.

Same with singing the "Star Spangled Banner" (one of the worst pieces of music in existence). We start singing it in school and then stand up and sing it at ballgames and everyplace else some third party decides that we're going to stand up, put our hands over our hearts and sing.

Human beings may some day wise up to the stupidity and damage of all this if we don't destroy ourselves and this planet first.
 
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2442314&mesg_id=2442314

Some select primitives.

LibDemAlways

6. I don't like the pledge either. I am a substitute teacher in a suburban district which now limits the pledge to one morning a week. (Progress, I suppose.) I just think it's ridiculous to proclaim that we are "one nation, under God" with "liberty and justice for all" when the founding fathers specifically separated church and state, and whatever "liberty" we once enjoyed has been eroded by crap like the "Patriot Act" and "Homeland Security." As for "justice for all" - a complete joke. Special privileges for the 1% is more like it.

The lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner are just as irrelevant. Land of the Free? Uh, no. Home of the brave? Hardly.

What's even worse than the Star-Spangled Banner at baseball games is the singing of God Bless America. Just offensive.

Journeyman
 
12. I pledged allegiance to the Constitution when I was inducted into the military in the early '70s...

I haven't repeated the pledge since, and I've no intention of ever repeating it.

The way I figure it, once you pledge yourself to something, if you truly mean it, you need never do it again. In fact, to do so -- to engage in a "doctrine of continual reaffirmation" -- makes a mockery of the original vow, as only a meaningless pledge needs constant updating. I affirmed my commitment to the Constitution as a young man. If I ever change my mind, I'll renounce my pledge. Until then, I consider it my word, freely given. Any attempt to make me renew it simply insults me and casts aspersions on my honor.

As for those who insist it should be recited on multiple occasions, who would prefer to see it rendered meaningless through reduction to nothing more than a rote recitation, I often wonder, if they can't trust me to keep a pledge quietly, what's my mumbling it going to mean?

Perhaps we should just reduce it to a “Reader’s Digest” version: “I pledge allegiance to liberty and justice for all.” Short and to the point, non-controversial, useful for all peoples on the planet.

Too late.  You recended your pledge to the US Constitution when you became a liberal.

proud2BlibKansan
 
25. I don't like it but we have bigger battles to fight these days

There's a surprise. 

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[franksolich]

Oh my.

Human beings may some day wise up to the stupidity and damage of all this if we don't destroy ourselves and this planet first.

That's the usual Oscar Wilde, always looking at the "up" side of things.

You know, I've always been interested in knowing what others "hear" when reading the large-proboscised primitive; I'm not exactly sure what it is I'm hearing, but the best way to describe it is as some sort of constant twanging jagged serrated drone or hum.

[Karin]

Hysterical lisping in a high, keening, female voice. 

[Freeper]

Figures God Bless America is offensive, but I bet God Damn America is right up their alley. 

[Vagabond]

Oh my.

That's the usual Oscar Wilde, always looking at the "up" side of things.

You know, I've always been interested in knowing what others "hear" when reading the large-proboscised primitive; I'm not exactly sure what it is I'm hearing, but the best way to describe it is as some sort of constant twanging jagged serrated drone or hum.

Like somebody that got kicked around at school a lot for constantly "knowing" more than anybody else and has impotent rage about it years later.  Kind of a whining, resigned, nasal, yet angry voice.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Singing the Star-Spangled Banner beats the shit out of singing God Save the King/Queen under pain of treason, and saying the Pledge equally beats Hell out of waving a shitty little red book full of bullcrap in the air and trying to out-enthusiasm your peers so you don't end up in a forced-labor gang.

[JohnnyReb]

DUmmie said, "What is the pledge but a "loyalty oath?" It's the conditioning of young minds to think a certain way. It's brainwashing. And at that age, children are being forced to commit themselves to something they are incapable of understanding."

Who knows more about brainwashing and warping young minds than liberals.