Kid refuses to say the pledge!

Maybe, but you have to wonder why saying the pledge is made pretty much compulsory in schools. Why is it deemed necessary?

forced speech is a violation of free speech

Good for him. I'm not a huge fan of the pledge. I certainly don't pledge my allegiance to any flag or the republic for which it stands. It seems very odd to me for people to pledge such a thing. It's fine if one buys into everything our "Republic" does, but I certainly don't agree with most of what the government does, so I won't pledge my allegiance to it.

I refused to say the pledge in middle school, for similar reasons (though not specifically having to do with gay rights) and because I found out that the Supreme Court had ruled in 1943* that you didn't have to say it if you objected to it. So the school eventually said "fine, but stand up during the pledge to show respect." Fine, I said, and never said the pledge again. I'm proud of this kid, and a bit jealous that he did it a couple years younger than I did. :-P

*Yes, a year before ruling that it was OK to round up all the Japanese people in the US and throw them in prison camps. Isn't cognitive dissonance great?

People somehow have the impression that this pledge is a patriotic legacy of the Founding Fathers. In fact, it wasn't written until the end of the 19th century, and the "under God" bit didn't go in until 1954...gee, I wonder what the significance of that timing is?

Why does anyone have to pledge their allegiance? Why is our allegiance being called into question?

Besides, why do I have to pledge to anything for Richard Stans?

That Guy wrote:

People somehow have the impression that this pledge is a patriotic legacy of the Founding Fathers. In fact, it wasn't written until the end of the 19th century, and the "under God" bit didn't go in until 1954...gee, I wonder what the significance of that timing is?

Why does anyone have to pledge their allegiance? Why is our allegiance being called into question?

Besides, why do I have to pledge to anything for Richard Stans?

Toothy Republican Richard Stans, no less!

Mtn Dew wrote:

Good for him. I'm not a huge fan of the pledge. I certainly don't pledge my allegiance to any flag or the republic for which it stands. It seems very odd to me for people to pledge such a thing. It's fine if one buys into everything our "Republic" does, but I certainly don't agree with most of what the government does, so I won't pledge my allegiance to it.

____________________________________

So let me see if I got this right? You want to live here in America, where you were born. But, you do not agree with our government? You use and maybe even abuse the first amendment, and yet refuse to show any allegiance to that very same government that obtained that 1st Amendment.

OK. I understand now.

You want the freedome to say what you want, and abuse the right to have freedom of expression. Yet, you are against the very same government that obtained that right for you.

Let me ask you a very simple question. Ever serve your country, or do you just live in it?

Good for this kid. The only kids who didn't say the pledge (or even stand) when I was in school were the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Mt. Dew, if you grew up in my neighborhood, you would have gotten you arse kicked regularly.

You think this "republic" is bad try living in another country. You'll come screaming back in no time you schmuck.

If you have to force people to pledge allegiance isn't it not really allegiance?

Imagine that you read about little Soviet kids being forced to recite a chant in class each day to the revolution and power of the proletariat? What would your opinion be?

Pittman3 wrote:

So let me see if I got this right? You want to live here in America, where you were born. But, you do not agree with our government? You use and maybe even abuse the first amendment, and yet refuse to show any allegiance to that very same government that obtained that 1st Amendment.

OK. I understand now.

You want the freedome to say what you want, and abuse the right to have freedom of expression. Yet, you are against the very same government that obtained that right for you.

Let me ask you a very simple question. Ever serve your country, or do you just live in it?

Yes. The reason people want to live here is because of freedom of speech. People like you are ruining all that is great about America. That kid is a patriot, you sir are a communist. Go back to Russia.

I think too many people put too much thought into the pledge. No one is making you say anything. Fighting the Pledge is just pointless media whoring.

This is a great country b/c you can ignore the Pledge, don't these people get it?

Think of the Pledge like the Star Spangled Banner or Jingle Bells. It is celebrating something we all enjoy. If a certain part rubs you the wrong way (I hate open sleighs), just ignore that part and roll your eyes.

Don't be a big crybaby over nothing. No one is making you do anything.

This message born is home to the scum of the Earth.

I Dont Suck wrote:

Fighting the Pledge is just pointless media whoring.

Thank you.

I Dont Suck wrote:

I think too many people put too much thought into the pledge. No one is making you say anything. Fighting the Pledge is just pointless media whoring.

This is a great country b/c you can ignore the Pledge, don't these people get it?

Think of the Pledge like the Star Spangled Banner or Jingle Bells. It is celebrating something we all enjoy. If a certain part rubs you the wrong way (I hate open sleighs), just ignore that part and roll your eyes.

Don't be a big crybaby over nothing. No one is making you do anything.

I think you need to go back and read what you wrote.

The exact point is that people are trying to MAKE this kid (and others) say the pledge.

Just because one has freedom to ignore the pledge does not mean that they have freedom if they actually have to say it.

super dude wrote:

I think you need to go back and read what you wrote.

The exact point is that people are trying to MAKE this kid (and others) say the pledge.

Just because one has freedom to ignore the pledge does not mean that they have freedom if they actually have to say it.

I understand, and the people trying to make him say it are also who I am disparaging. No one has to say anything. There is no law that states kids have to say the Pledge. It is stupid for some teacher to pretend he/she can make a kid say something.

Both sides are taking this too seriously for the sake of creating a mythical controversy.

Get over yourselves.

By the time I was about 13 I started thinking how screwed up the pledge was. Everyone was forced to stand up every single day and recite this thing in monotone. Very creepy when you think about it.

When I was a kid, we said the pledge daily. I, and several others who took seriously the part about congress shall make no law establishing religion, just kept our mouths shut during 'under God.'

As was pointed out, this language was added in the 1950s to distinguish us from the Godless commies.

I stopped saying the Pledge in middle school. I don't do it when at school assemblies for my kids or any other time. I also don't place my hand over my heart during the anthem.