america
♥ Dan
It's a little weird?
I remember the german exchange students coming here and thinking that ti was just the creepiest thing ever that our high school recites it once a week.
Not for a country though..... back in Awana (a Christian kids study/outreach) we pledged our faith all the time, and when I was in St. John's Ambulance (volunteer first aid group) we used to recite the "Pro Utilitate Hominum" (a pledge of faith and service to help, the words in my header are all taken/adapted from parts of it) all the time. ♥ Dan
♥ Dan
The way for us to teach them pride in their country and in their way of life is to cause an idealogical alignment that they can understand. The easiest way- an easy to remember poem which they may not understand but brings those feelings of pride and nationalism. Yes we can all rattle offthe words, they were drilled into our heads enough. But as we grow and learn the meanings, they can subltly and subconsciously take on new meanings.
I pledge alligience to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic, for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
I get a chill just typing it, and when I say it, the same as when I hear or sing the National Anthem. Its a declaration of teams. THIS IS MY TEAM. Every time you say it you are pledging your allegience not only to the flag, but to the country it flies over and the country people think of when they see it. a single nation under God, that is indivisible, where there is liberty and justice for all. A beacon of light in the darkness.
I can understand that on first glance people see it as trivial and I am not one to say you hate your country because you don't want to say it. But I can say for sure that, the feeling that you don't want people to think you hate your country. the worry that you feel that someone might question your loyalty. that means its working. You have your team. Let no man question your integrity.
Welcome to America. Ideology is key to subtle Nationalism without fanaticism.
By the way, as a note. Notice the second and final line of the pledge. The punctuation is correct. Although most people take a breath, the correct pledge is one nation under god not one nation, under god. A small change, yes, but huge as far as meaning goes. Whether you want to believe it or not, we are a christian country.
Well theres my long winded explanation and history lesson- the pledge of course comes from post-civil war era, with under god added during WWII.
...But I also realize that that isn't the way it ever will be.
It seems so petty to say that we are trying to "win" over other teams. What do you mean by "win"? War of attrition kind of "win," or "I have more power" kind of "win"? Why do we need to "win"? Why should we? In fact, I would think that trying to "win" would defeat the point of peace. Peace is the goal, right? (Right.) Winning and hoping others lose is disturbing that.
I do not feel any sense of patriotism. But, I don't feel like I'm being disrespectful. I have better things, as I see it, to be devoting my respect to, other than government and lines on a map (not to mention our culture).
I stand during the pledge of allegiance out of respect for others, but I do not speak it. It would not be in my nature to do so.
The phrase "Under God" was not added During WWII, it was added ten years later, and its inclusion in the pledge does not make us by default a Christian country. Yes, a majority of people here identify themselves as Christian. However, that does not give them free license to demand everyone accept that and like it. (I'm not saying you said that, please don't misunderstand....)
I got in trouble more times than I can recall in elementary school for refusing to say the pledge as it is currently written. I never believed in a nation under God. Still don't. We are not a theocracy.
I don't quite understand why people want it in there so badly.
The separation of church and state argument I can address later if youd like.
Its not meant for anyone to follow christ, were not prostylitizing for a sect. Were imbibing law with morality. and Morality with ideology. They may not have been in MENSA but the founders were geniuses.
As far as the "win" problem. The thing is we don't teach our children this to win... were not pressing a win over anyone, just the team mentality. and as far as expanding it. a win doesnt have to be war. how about economy. commerce. health. status of education. one of many things we no longer lead in. i think we need a little more competitiveness before, as ive blogged before. we lose a generation and our country.
Plus, most kids don't really understand the pledge anyway because they don't understand the vocabulary and the history behind the pledge.
It's just useless.
