but I'm thinking there might be a lot of people out there especially here in Australia that don't get why our American friends get so het up about the one particular line in the their Pledge of Allegiance.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The line I'm referring to is the 'one Nation under God' bit. From research I know that it was not added in till after the original pledge was written, just like the bit about the flag of the United States of America (added because an Australia, for example, could recite the pledge but be talking about their country flag not the US one which is apparently terrible LOL). But more than any other part of the pledge these 4 words seem to stir the blood of normal people and turn them into raving lunatics. Although really it's only 2 words 'under God' that were added. I'm just going with the 4 words cause that's the line quoted continuously.
I've seen so many posts online about how this person is refusing to say it, or that this school has banned it because they don't want to upset others. And then there is all the blah blah about well if you come and live in our country you have to say it, and you have no right to tell us we can't say it, etc. Now, I get that. I'm the same, you don't have the right to stop me from saying what I want, but it goes both ways, I don't have the right to stop you saying it whenever you like either. So, that's something everyone seems to understand, right? But no wait, they don't, or at least a hell of a lot of people don't.
'Get back to your own country!'
'We are Christians'
'It's our right under the Constitution'
Are just some of the cries you can read on any post about someone refusing to say it. Then there's the constant trend towards some school saying that you can no longer say the pledge as it will offend some students and parents, well you know what grow some fucking balls and tell these students and parents that if they don't like it they or their child can be excused. Simple, and fucking logical in my eyes.
I'm an Aussie, born and bred, my generation grew up singing God Save the Queen, but you know what, it didn't mean jack to me or to anyone else I know, we just did it cause it was expected of us. We didn't march around protesting being forced to sing something that meant jack to us. Admittedly we didn't have Facebook to launch a protest and that may have made all the difference, not lol. A lot of us are descended from convicts, sent here because of the laws in that same damn country where the Queen lives, and yet we still sung it.
The way I see it, and maybe my view is skewed, I have no idea, but the way I see it is quite simple. If you don't want to say the Pledge, you shouldn't have to, if you want to leave out the bit about 'under God' do so, if you want to say it go for it, but both of you the one saying and the one not, have to stand side by side and respect each others views. You can't march into a school and demand it be removed from the daily ritual (I'm not sure when it's said at school, but from movies it looks like usually first class of the day), in doing so you are taking away the right of all students who want to say it and who believe in it. Telling someone your going to sue their arse if your child is forced to say it isn't the way to go either. Approach the school, work out a compromise, your child is allowed to sit quietly while the rest of the class recites the pledge, or wait in the hall. It's not going to kill them, it's not going to cut into their study time, it's a short fucking pledge and it apparently means a hell of a lot to a lot more people than you. Then the school and the students who are allowed to make their pledge, have to also promise, not to discriminate against your child/children in any way shape or form for being excused. If the anybody harasses your child then that child or teacher, is out, suspended. Any student who disrupts the saying of the pledge is out, suspended, done and fucking dusted. Simple solution and should be across the board in all states and all schools. The fact that the 'under God' was added later after the 'of the United States of America' bit, just makes this the Pledge of Allegiance mark 3 LOL. I could definitely say the Pledge without a hitch except for the 'under God' bit, that feels like I'm being forced to believe in God, so I'd skip that bit. I wouldn't demand it be removed and nor would I tell you you can't say it, as long as you let me do it my way.
So there's my opinion for what it's worth, may not be worth jackshit, but hey it's all mine and no one can stop me from voicing it lol. I am not a hater of the Pledge of Allegiance, it means nothing to me, not my country, and I have no right to say to someone shut the fuck up I don't want to hear it, but if you want to stand next to me and say your Pledge, you go right ahead.
There is also the something else I saw on Facebook the other day about a student being told he couldn't drive around with this big arsed flag flying out of the back of his truck because it could be offensive. Ummm offensive to who exactly? He's driving around in America, with the American flag waving, is he going to offend the Aussie who lives down the road? I think not, at least not if the Aussie is allowed to drive his truck around with a big arse Australian flag flying. Again that may be skewed because I am an Aussie, but I would like to feel that if I was from say Iran, living in the US, I'd respect any Americans right to have their flag flying and expect them to do the same. The one thing I thought of when I saw the size of the flag was, ummm sure he says it's not impeding his visibility but I bet it damn well is, that's one big flag flapping there LOL.
Well that's it for me, I hope none of my American friends take offense at this humble Aussies opinions, no matter how skewed they are, after all it's my right to state them even if my country doesn't live under your constitution LOL.
Catch yas
Cathy
