The US Pledge of Allegiance

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

The first 71 posts of this thread originally appeared in the thread “America the myth”. Although the original thread actually started with this post, It and 70 other pledge-related posts were moved to this separate thread because of member requests and because they are specifically about the Pledge of Allegiance, while the thread has become a forum for discussion of myths about America in general

For 30 years every person of authority has fed me (and you) the same old lies. They proudly proclaim (with their fingers crossed no less ) that as an american I'm lucky. I live in the land of milk and honey. No other nation in the world is as free or well off as the good ol U.S.A.
I say not true. Why?:
Lets start at the begining:
From grades k-12 children and young adults are required (forced) to swear allegience to the U.S. (there are penalties for noncompliance)
There have been many controversies and lawsuits over this in the last decade or so, but for the wrong reason I'm less woried about god being in The Pledge of Allegiance than of the fact it is not optional (what happened to freedom of speach first of all, and second of all this is a binding verbal contract with the government. how many children do you know that fully understand this concept?). Speak or act out against the government you are officially guilty of breach of contract and treason. Why? because you swore to be loyal to them!

MORE EXCITING POSTS TO FOLLOW! (It's past my beddy-bye time!)

[Southtown]

To be allegient to one's own society is merely an extension of self-concern. If you refuse to make your home your home, then you are hurting yourself as well as your neighbors.

And remember, in America, you are free to leave.

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by DFINITLYDISTRUBD

From grades k-12 children and young adults are required (forced) to swear allegience to the U.S. (there are penalties for noncompliance)

You might enjoy Rex Curry's site.

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Yup! Rather interestin readin there.
THANX

[cslagle]

From grades k-12 children and young adults are required (forced) to swear allegience to the U.S. (there are penalties for noncompliance)

Where do you live? I have a student handbook for an Elementry School in Bradenton, Florida that informs all parents that children who do not wish to participate in the Pledge, are not required to do so. From my own memory in grade school, there were children of various religious backgrounds who did not pledge, and they were never punished for it.
I teach preschool children, and we do say The Pledge every morning to the flag out of grattitude for the good in our country. If one of my children did not wish to paritcipate they would never be forced. This could be a problem in only some schools in America, and should be corrected.

[BEAKER]

Originally Posted by DFINITLYDISTRUBD

Yes, I agree -

You are definately disturbed.

Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by cslagle

From grades k-12 children and young adults are required (forced) to swear allegience to the U.S. (there are penalties for noncompliance)

Where do you live? I have a student handbook for an Elementry School in Bradenton, Florida that informs all parents that children who do not wish to participate in the Pledge, are not required to do so. From my own memory in grade school, there were children of various religious backgrounds who did not pledge, and they were never punished for it.
I teach preschool children, and we do say The Pledge every morning to the flag out of grattitude for the good in our country. If one of my children did not wish to paritcipate they would never be forced. This could be a problem in only some schools in America, and should be corrected.

From Wikipedia: This case corrected the problem.
"West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that held that the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protected students from being forced to salute the American flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance in school."

[cslagle]

Originally Posted by Freddy

From Wikipedia: This case corrected the problem.
"West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that held that the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protected students from being forced to salute the American flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance in school."

Yes, because all laws and decisions are upheld everywhere all the time. I was refering to the origional statement that claimed children were, in fact, being forced to say the pledge, dispite this ruling. Apparently, this problem was not corrected by a piece of paper in Washington.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by cslagle

Yes, because all laws and decisions are upheld everywhere all the time. I was refering to the origional statement that claimed children were, in fact, being forced to say the pledge, dispite this ruling. Apparently, this problem was not corrected by a piece of paper in Washington.

Yes, it was corrected. It is up to those parents who do not want their children to say the pledge to point out to school officials the law of the land. If the school refuses to follow the law the parents can sue.

[KickAssClown]

I will put forth as case and point that I have been around the country: California, Oregon, New Jersey, and Texas. In each and everyone with the exception of individual teachers I got a lot of guff, often to the point of punishing me for my "insolence", from each and every school. In Texas, I had to worry about being slapped with a ruler or worse. Here in Chico out of the approximately hundred or so times that I was suspended from school, choosing to refuse to salute and pledge was one of the major contributors. I believe it would be about three to five times per school. I've gone to Park View, Rosedale, Citrus, and Hooker Oak Elementary, so about 12-20 times total. It would be higher but the students gave me more guff than the teachers about my beliefs, so I rarely pushed the issue.

Of course, the last Elementary School I attended was circa 1998.