Should the Pledge of Allegiance be removed from U.S. schools?

[Buildapanda]

5. It is a waste of instructional time. The Pledge and moment of silence take about 30 seconds each day. Multiply that by 180 school days, and that's one and a half hours every year that could be spent learning.

I

Think you are underestimating the amount of time people waste with this shit.

PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN RECITE THE MASTERS CHANT TO PROVE YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO THIS COUNTRY

*everyone fiddles around with their stuff for 15 seconds technical difficulties*

anyway it's more like hours per wasted classtime a year, it was never 30 seconds.

[Poopymonster]

If anything, Rule Britannia. But since those rebels emancipated you can't expect them to sing their parent's hymn instead of their own. I always hated "God save the Queen". It's so shortsighted, once the queen dies the whole anthem becomes irrelevant.

They weren't rebels, they were terrorists.

[Ozyorkbourne]

As a Brit I find the American obsession with their flag and national anthem a bit... weird.

I'm not nationalist but i'm rather proud of being British. Despite that, we only really have anything relative to the flag when a politician/celebrity of note dies or there is an attack. Similarly, we only really hear the national anthem at international sporting events such as England vs X football games, Tennis Grand Slams, F1 winner's podium or the Olympics.

I understand there's some post Civil War history behind it, but from an outside looking it it really looks like nationalist brain-washing. I know it's probably not, but it really looks like it.

[Tehshocka]

Like the First Amendment, which gives them the right to decline the Pledge?

Sounds like you like the superficial representation of your country more than the rights for which it stands.

- - - Updated - - -



It was God Save the King long before it was God Save the Queen. It'll be fine.

You mean the same one who sent a generation over to get the job done against the Nazi's, because we all know how well those Brits were handling things on there own right?

This blows my mind. People will sit here and criticize American culture / Politics / Nationalism , but if stuff goes sideways y'all are always the first to be begging the US for help.

Then again this thread is littered with EU folks who have no idea what it means to be an American in the first place.

I did chuckle at the one idiot suggesting young Americans were akin to Hitler Youth in regards to the pledge.

Good luck getting that globalism thing under control. Btw, when you come crying to the US looking for help don't worry we will be there to save your arse for the glory of country and freedom.

[GennGreymane]

Sure
Its dumb
and also was changed to include god because of those godless commies

[Linri]

i say keep it as it is
it's not hurting anyone by being a citizen of a country

[Vizardlorde]

Pledge of Allegiance is a loyalty oath aimed at the Southern man.

"One nation", not two nations.
"Indivisible", means you can't split it up.

"With liberty and justice for all", we'll treat you fairly if you agree.

Some say the US Civil war was one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history, the pledge is just a small thing meant to keep war from happening again.

I'm amazed at the people who don't realize what it is.

No it was not but since it involved americans. Its blown out of proportion in america.

[Tyrianth]

No it was not but since it involved americans. Its blown out of proportion in america.

Lol it's not even close to the "bloodiest conflicts in human history". Not even the bloodiest civil war.

[Docturphil]

I'd say keep it as it is. The only part I can see people having beef with is the under God part. I say if you don't believe in God than just think of it as "One nation with some moral guidance".

As for removing it, I don't think it would be the worst thing in the world. But I think we're better off keeping it. Gives people a sense of pride in their country.

[Allybeboba]

The pledge is still "winning" against those that want it totally removed.

[melodramocracy]

Drop the 'under god' part and I'm fine with it.

[Puupi]

You really recite that kind of stuff every morning in the school? Wtf? What about the students who aren't US citizens or don't believe in god? This kind of shit doesn't belong to 21st century. Doesn't even belong to 20th century.

[LilSaihah]

If you don't like it, I fully encourage you to homeschool your kids.

[Orbitus]

If you don't like it, I fully encourage you to homeschool your kids.

Well, its a good thing that the Supreme Court ruled that people cannot be compelled to do the Pledge. People don't have to recite it, hell they don't even have to stand for it. Thanks to the first amendment.

[Kuntantee]

How old is it?

[unbound]

The US Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy (a former Baptist minister) in 1892...to sell flags. He also happened to be a socialist earlier in his life, but, in what should be a comfort to Trump supporters, he was also very racist and staunchly anti-immigrant. Here is the original version:

I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands—one nation indivisible—with liberty and justice for all.

("under God" was added in 1954 to reinforce how we were different than those godless Communists)

Here is how they saluted the flag back in the early days (Bellamy recommended this), up until 1942 when Congress amended the Flag Code to have people put their hand over their heart:



This dates back to Roman days, but it demonstrates how this pledge (and its wording) has been modified to suit the needs of those who would like nothing better than unthinking loyalty to the state. Now, which countries do you usually think of when that phrase (unthinking loyalty to the state) comes to mind? Not the US...we are supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. Hard to be free when we indoctrinate our children this obsessively.

[Crissi]

Its absolutely idiotic. As a kid, I always rebeled against it in any way I could. Sitting down, refusing to say anything, ect.

Then I discovered this, and I will be teaching my kids to say this instead:

[Mormolyce]

You mean the same one who sent a generation over to get the job done against the Nazi's, because we all know how well those Brits were handling things on there own right?

This blows my mind. People will sit here and criticize American culture / Politics / Nationalism , but if stuff goes sideways y'all are always the first to be begging the US for help.

Then again this thread is littered with EU folks who have no idea what it means to be an American in the first place.

I did chuckle at the one idiot suggesting young Americans were akin to Hitler Youth in regards to the pledge.

Good luck getting that globalism thing under control. Btw, when you come crying to the US looking for help don't worry we will be there to save your arse for the glory of country and freedom.

If anything goes sideways post-1945, it's probably because of you :P

And the US didn't fight the Nazis to help the Brits, you sat on your hands during the Battle of Britain and only entered the war once your own interests in the Pacific were threatened.

Globalism... what the fu... which country do you think is the biggest engine of globalisation in the world?

[Vizardlorde]

The American obsession with the flag reminds me of the Cuban indoctrination at school where we had to perform a flag ceremony every morning saluting the flag and singing the national anthem.

[Ghostpanther]

If anything goes sideways post-1945, it's probably because of you :P

And the US didn't fight the Nazis to help the Brits, you sat on your hands during the Battle of Britain and only entered the war once your own interests in the Pacific were threatened.

Globalism... what the fu... which country do you think is the biggest engine of globalisation in the world?

The US did help the British with the Battle of Britain. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...uper-fuel.html not just with some flyers who actually flew in it, but supplies. Just saying.