<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Justice @ Oct 21 2006, 11:01 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This is the part that boggles my mind. You are so worried about what other people do. You're willing to go into law enforcement but not to stand up for a pledge? What does it have to do with other people? If they don't understand it, so what? If you understand it, and it's meaningful to you, then yeah, I don't see the difference. A lot of people follow the law only because they have to, not because they are good people or actually agree with the law. Does that mean you go out and break the law just because it's holding people down or something?Anyway, the point was making was not towards anyone in particular, but it seems like most people in high school that sit down for the pledge have this attitude like anyone actually cares. Oh man you got sent to the prinicipal's office, what a rebel! I mean really, in the grand scheme of things, no one really cares. If you want to sit down, sit down. The one thing I can not agree with is calling your teacher a bitchass just because they think you should be standing. That's one of the reasons it seems like you're trying to act hard or whatever.</div>It's not that people are against saying the pledge, it's that they're against the notion of the pledge somehow makes you patriotic, and it somehow is a way to pay dues, and respects to your country. I understand that it only takes literally about 30 seconds to say, I understand that - but that's not our point - it's not like we're too lazy to say it. Our level of thinking isn't that low. The way I see it is this:
Where do you usually see the majority of people saying the pledge? You usually see it started in grade school - and it continues sometimes all the way to High School (Although, in my case, the ritual of saying the pledge stopped in Middle School). I have never seen it being mandatory at the work place, or anywhere else - only in schools is it 'mandatory' to say the pledge. Why is that? Why is it that only children are made to say the pledge? Well, to compliment my argument, I know no child that says the pledge because they are proud of their country, or respectful of their country. When I was in elementary and middle school, I have never seen anyone do the pledge for those reasons. My school told the children what to do, they made it to be some kind of fun and exciting thing to do. Every day one of the children were selected to read the pledge in front of the whole school - they felt special for being picked, and I remember how everyone wanted to be the one to say the pledge. Obviously children weren't saying the pledge for it's real purpose. So why is it still mandatory for children to say it if they don't even understand the meaning of the pledge? I think it's simply to pre-dispose children into liking their country. It's is a cheap way of putting ideas into children's minds so they can be pre-disposed to thinking a certain way. Why else would they make it mandatory in younger level school? Why else would they make it mandatory...like I said, no child actually does the pledge to pay their dues - that simply isn't the case. This method of implementing ideas into a child's vulnerable mind isn't something new. This same thing happens all the time - just in a different medium. Cartoons, sitcoms, advertising, and television are the biggest brainwashing tools used even today. In advertising, it is proven that Cigarette companies try to get smoking into young minds just so they can be pre-disposed to smoking later. Why do they make 'fun' characters out of Cigarette brands - for example - the Kool Camel. Advertising companies, in an effort to appeal to younger future customers use these 'fun' characters so their name could be put in their minds so when they do smoke they choose Camel. This stuff has been proven over and over again. Sitcoms - Give us how the perfect family should be. What the brother's role should be, what the sisters role should be. These things appeal to younger children, and they take these shows to heart. Boys like tough things like the Army, and explosions, and gross stuff; Girls like barbies, and pink stuff. All that stuff didn't just come to us, it was told to us by these companies. So - this stuff seems pretty tricky, and it seems very deviant - the idea of putting concepts in children's minds before they can make rational decisions for themselves is very immoral...most of you will agree to that. So in that case, why is it ok for the schools or government to make the Pledge of Allegiance mandatory in schools? It's Not. I don't disagree with the pledge and it's message - I support my country, and I also respect my country. However, the fact that the pledge only serves as a way to pre-dispose children to certain beliefs about their country is just wrong. There is no purpose for it in schools, period.I just don't like the ideas behind it - If you don't say the pledge, or if you sit down during the pledge than you are viewed as unpatriotic and disprespectful - and teachers tell us that! If you truely want to be patriotic and a defendant of your country, than do something that actually benefits your country. In today's times - President Bush essentially just suspended the most important thing in the Constitution -
HABEUS CORPUS. I view those who debate against this, who protest against this and use their American rights, they are the ones who are patriotic. Just because I say the pledge doesn't mean I am patriotic, just because someone waves a flag in their front lawn, doesn't mean they're patriotic - those things are just objects. What really matters is what your actions are to prove your patriotism. So to conclude: (I am sorry for this long post, but this is an important subject.)The Pledge of Allegiance, I do not disagree with. However, I do disagree with the deviant use of it. I also disagree that it is viewed as unpatriotic and disrespectful if you do not say it; and although this is a minor detail, the word God should not be included in the Pledge - the government represents all citizens, and all citizens are not worshippers of God. Again, sorry for the Essay - but if you just read this: :happy0144:
:no3: people take it way too seriously and it's the biggest waste of time..every single day....words cant even express how much I hate itand to add to that it says "one nation under God" which I can't even begin to explainwhat if people don't want to be under God? are they not patriotic?gay
