Do Other Countries Have a Pledge of Allegiance?

[Mahaloth]

@Hari_Seldon

Growing up in the US, I stopped reciting the oath the day they added, “under god” to it. I still don’t understand the mentality of imposing your religious beliefs on others.

I don’t say it and I don’t mind the under god part at all. I just find it creepy. It’s like the mantra, “Four legs good, two legs bad” in Animal Farm.

[lalaith]

@DanBlather

The whole pledge thing never made much sense to me. First, why pledge allegiance to the FLAG? The constitition would make much more sense. Second, why do it every day? Did they think I changed my mind overnight? Third, the “under god” part violates separation of church and state. And finally, forcing kids to pledge an oath of allegiance seems to stand against the very ideals that America stands for.

It makes a lot more sense if you realize it was written for children. Little school kids aren’t going to understand pledging to some piece of paper they’ve never read and wouldn’t understand if they did. (Most of the Constitution is technicalities on how to set up the government.) But they’d seen flags. I don’t know if every classroom had a US flag, but I expect by 1892 it would be common for most of the larger schools to have a US flag. A flag’s a nice, easy-to-understand, visible symbol of America.

As for why do it every day…why recite the same prayer for each meal or before you go to sleep every night? Repetition and children tend to go together.