I’m talking about the custom of American schoolchildren saluting the flag.
As a kid, I never really thought about it. It was just something you did, and we assumed kids in other countries pleddged allegiance to their flag every morning.
Although now that I’ve met people from other countries, it does strike me as a weird custom. Is it indoctrination? Or just another manifestation of the U.S.'s symbol-oriented culture?
*pledging allegiance to the flag. Sorry about that.
After I stopped going to schools on Army bases I never said the Pledge Alligence on a daily basis. Of course I graduated high school in 1994 so I pretty much grew up in the 80’s. Of course I also thought it was odd to go to a movie theater without having to stand for the national anthem after my father retired.
I don’t see anything wrong with the pledge of alligence. Well aside from that “under god” part. There were far more sever indoctrination issues in public schools then the pledge.
Marc
This site has relevant info.:
http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/flag.html
It indicates that the pledge involves being “sovereign.” The original text was altered twice:
I have two primary issues with the Pledge:
“Under God” bugs me, and always has.
But the entire act of pledging allegiance to a flag first, and only secondly to the Republic, drives me nucking futs.
Indoctrination? Of course it is. That’s how people learn doctrine.
Usually I jump to defend the unpopular anti-Communist moves our government has made–with many exceptions. This is another exception. “Under God” was added in 1954 to show we were not a Godless Commie[sup]TM[/sup] nation. “Under God” does not belong in the pledge. Moreover, I like to mentally substitute “constitution” for “flag” every time I hear the pledge. Flags are irrelevant unless you are in a war trying to hold a piece of ground.
A Supreme Court decision makes this argument academic. Nobody can be forced to say the POA. You can be “forced” to listen to it, but you can cover your ears or leave. I recommend reciting it as an android might, that worked for me from K through 12.
To answer the OP directly, the POA is both patriotism and indoctrination. It is also rote behavior that may have no effect at all except using up some brain cells to memorize it.
So POA is sort of like reciting “Hail Mary?”
In Texas, they honestly would MAKE us say the Texas pledge right after the national pledge. It went
Honor the Texas Flag (Is this a pledge or a command)
I pledge alligence to thee, Texas
One and indivisable (oddly enough Texas is one of the few states that is divisable)
I thought it was a little crazy. I remember getting in trouble once for sitting down during the pledge my senior year. I sort of found the national pledge a little creepy, specially the whole “under god” business. But I never had a problem with it, I do support my counrty. But a state pledge? It was just strange. I really didn’t feeel comfortable pledgeing to a state government. Texas is kind of odd in that respect. Does any other state do that?
I think that’s an apt comparison, for those raised Catholic. Since the Hail Mary was a favorite paryer assigned for penance, saying it got to be rote and meaningless for a lot of kids. It was just something you zoomed through as quickly as possible.
So, too, do many kids experience the Pledge.
But I think it’s quite possible to say the Hail Mary, as I do now, with respect and reverence… just as it’s possible to say the Pledge, as I do now, with respect and reverence. It’s all in what you make of it.
Forcing someone to say the pledge against their will is as foolish as forcing someone to pray against their will.