Kid refuses to say the pledge!

shut up wrote:

Well, it's not a totalitarian state yet... The point was the pledge is a characteristic of a totalitarian state. You said that was different because they were pledging allegiance to a person. That is not necessarily different from what is happening here, and that is exactly what I pointed out in my post, then I added a little more on. That's all there is to it. You don't have to insult my intelligence because I'm making a valid point.

I pointed out that you had not read my original post. That is not insulting your intelligence. It is pointing out a fact.

I disagree that having grade school kids say the pledge of allegiance to the flag and the republic for which it stands (the republic - our system of government, not the people who currently occupy political office) is characteristic of a totalitarian state. I think that really is an extreme stretch. People in this country throw terms like "fascism" and "totalitarianism" around quite loosely, seemingly without any respect for the thousands of Americans who lost their lives fighting REAL fascism. The left compares Bush to Hitler. Then the right compares Obama to Hitler. These are both men elected to office who are doing, or did, their best fighting for what they believe. American presidents leave office when their terms expire, or if they lose an election. They are not fascist dictators, regardless of their politics. Hitler was elected (actually his party won about 32 % of the seats in the reichstag, then he muscled his way into the Chancellorship). But then he dismantled Germany's rather weak democratic structures and imposed totalitarianism. That is not happening in the U.S., despite the fact that little kids say the pledge.

I don't understand how forcing kids that go to government run schools to pledge allegiance to a flag is something people should value.

I put my hand over my heart during the pledge, but I don't even mouth the words. Call me unpatriotic all you want, but blind submission to the state is not something I value.

While I understand that most kids don't understand why they are saying the pledge, just reciting it because it's part of homeroom or whatever, it's clear as day that his mommy put him up to it. That kid doesn't understand what gay rights are and what right has been denied to gay people.

Reeks of parental publicity stunt!

While his mom may have influenced his decision not to pledge, notice that the article never mentions a father. It's quite possible his mom is gay and he's seen what she's been through living in Arkansas.

Funny thing is most Republicans also associate themselves with Christianity and no Christian would say the pledge. Pledging allegiance to "a flag" directly contradicts putting anything beofre allegiance to God, not to mention creates a golden calf. I haven't pledged since some time in elementary school. If you look at the news and society in general, even the top conservatives abandon allegiance to the flag when a democrat - especially a black one is at the helm, and liberals abando allegiance whenever a republican is is leading. I'd rather not pledge allegiance than violate my pledge ona daily basis.