"I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States"

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Americans have a tendency to be quite insular. It doesn't mean all Americans are----it's just the tendency.

Many Europeans know their native language well, plus are at least semi-fluent in English. English is a mandatory subject in many countries.

I'm not a stupid guy by any means----but I am not even close to being fluent in a language other than English. I'm not even as fluent in another language as some Chinese waiter in a rice shop is fluent in English.

I can read novels in Spanish and know some French. I’m not really fluent, though. I don’t identify as an American so much as an Earthling.

I still wouldn’t be down for an Earth pledge. Betazoids, Klingons, and Vulcans are all pretty cool. I’m more into a multi-galactic community, not to mention multi-universal.

Saluting the flag is required in lots of schools & the students could get in trouble if they don't.

It’s not a requirement in schools although it generally gives off that appearance. There were various lawsuits over it before it was finally deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/ar ... allegiance

Edited to add: According to the article after 9/11, it was required again in some places. I’ve not heard much about it in JW circles, so maybe it’s just not being strictly enforced or was mostly temporary.

If someone told me my son had to do it and he didn’t want to, I’d take legal action against them.

As a teacher, I can confidently state that parents should sue schools more often. It’s often the only way they’ll change toxic policies.

"for witches stand"

I have read that some kids thought that was in the pledge when they were little and said it in school.

My son thought that “for which it stands” was “for Richard Sands,” and that was just last year when he was in 4th grade.

Kids are awesome. I love this stuff.

He said to me: “Who the Hell is Richard Sands anyway?”

Only by hearing him repeat the Pledge could I understand what he was talking about.

Actually, come to think of it, I haven't had to say the Pledge since I started Summit School in 1968. I was in second grade.

We had to in first grade, though. I didn't mind. The kids on Romper Room used to say the Pledge; they didn't seem to mind. (The product of a 7-year-old mind).

I pledge a legion
To the flag
Of the new knighted states
Of America
And toothy republic
Four witches hands
One nation
Under God
In the visible
With Libraries
Aunt Justice
For all.
Gentlemen
Start your engines.
Amen.

It would not surprise me if the Supreme Court reverses that decision since they're reversing other precedents these days

I went to private schools since 5th grade(a Catholic one for 5th & half of 6th, a school for dyslexia from middle of 6th through 8th, & a Catholic high-school) & saying the pledge was required at those schools. It was in Louisiana & the deep south tends to be more hung-up on patriotism & private schools are less regulated by the federal government.

My mom was a teacher & a bit of the women on her side of the family were, & I've heard some bad things & completely agree that schools should be sued more. Lots of parents are understandably very afraid to challenge the system thou. It tends to be the poorer students that have the most problems & the schools sometimes retaliate by expelling the kids which can make it much more difficult for the students to go to college & find decent employment.

I don’t have to say it very often, just when a teacher sends a kid to my room early because he or she is already tired of the little varmint. Then it’s just the two of us and we giggle afterwards because it feels silly and awkward.

We try very hard to be straight-faced during it but with varying levels of success.

My childhood self had no problem with that "and the republic for which it stands" part . It was that later part I could not figure out. How our nation could be "invisible".

"One nation, invisible, with liberty and justice for all".

Like...if you took a road trip north-south from Mexico, to Canada, or vice versa, you would go through the whole middle of the USA without seeing it? Because were an invisible nation? Like only we Americans are the only folks can SEE this place? But Mexicans and Canadians would just see fog? Actually that would be kinda cool. Only us initiates can see our own country. But that cant be it. I will just have to wait until I am a grown up to understand it I guess.

Wasnt until well into junior high (when we no longer did the POA) that Mom taught me that the word was "in DI visible".

Last edited by naturalplastic on 19 May 2022, 3:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I heard a long time ago that some people wanted to ban the pledge of allegiance from being said in schools.

In that case, people would get in trouble for ever mentioning the pledge at schools much like people in public schools can get in trouble for mentioning God and religion.

Last edited by Sonic200 on 19 May 2022, 3:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Most parents in my schools would have assumed it was required. Since it went against my family’s religious beliefs, they knew the laws and would tell the teacher ahead of time that I wouldn’t be saluting the flag. I was the only one in my class during my school years not do so. It pissed one of my teachers off, and she would give me dirty looks during the Pledge. Fun times.

The first time I ever said the Pledge was when I was in my thirties. I stumbled over the word “indivisible” and it came out “invisible.”

I don’t think anyone noticed. lol

I think I was nervous about messing up which made it worse.

It was not banning the pledge. It was taking out the words "under god". Originally the phrase didnt contain the phrase "under god". Kids said it for decades prior to WWII without saying that phrase. Didnt mention God at all. That phrase added around 1950 as the world slide into the depths of the Cold War, and someone thought it was a good idea to add that to the Pledge as stand against "atheistic Communism". Trouble is that it breaches the divide between church in state in the US Constitution.

While government employees (e.g., public school teachers) are prohibited from imposing their religious views on others, the students themselves may still legally pray, read their holy books (i.e., Bible, Q'uran, et cetera), and even wear religious symbols in school.