Haven’t said it in over 50 years.. “ liberty and justice for all “ and I was seeing black people being hosed down and chased and bitten by dogs. What a lie.
It was quite odd to me as a kid in the 80s. Between school, the news, movies and tv we were getting 14 hours of anti USSR propaganda a day and they wanted us to do this, something they decried the commies would do
Takes me back to the early 70’s. I only have faint memories of doing it in Elementary school.
1976 was the Bicentennial year and it was a great year for the USA at least in my community. It was celebrated all year and people were patriotic then.
My wife just had this same conversation with her MAGA Mom. Her mom blamed the issues with the country on the fact that kids don’t say the pledge of allegiance! My wife said mom that’s so culty.
Then she went on to say how she had a group of Mexicans roof her house. My wife had to end the convo.
I felt that way at my grandsons graduation ceremony. I just couldn’t do it anymore. Extremely disappointed with the Country now. I feel like I was lied to for 60 yrs.
I was in college when I learned that Manifest Destiny was actually the belief that the Anglo-American Race as the “master race” of North America had the right to conquer, enslave, and exterminate the “inferior races” of North America and later became a direct inspiration for the Holocaust.
I did it every day when I was in school up through junior high. It was a long time ago. We also sang patriotic songs. But again, way different time. It was the 1960’s and 70’s.
I taught in the public schools in Oklahoma and Arkansas for 35 years. I had students that didn’t participate in citing the pledge. I never let it be an issue.
I was one of those students who didn’t recite the pledge because of a former religion. The reason was we worshipped God & nothing above or below him. Thank you I loved when I had a teacher like yourself.
I graduated HS in 1991- don’t think I’ve seen this- and definitely not then on my 3 channel TV! Definitely explains the my attitude then and still today.
Also a conservative town. The teacher was a fundamentalist but he surfed and wore flip-flops so the kids liked him. I always gave him a side eye and liked to throw in something subversive now and then.
I thank god all the time for my third grade teacher who promptly told our class “that wasn’t written for you, as you were considered 3/5ths of a man and you don’t have to say shit” twenty some odd years before kneeling became controversial.
The pledge is also recited at the beginning of the meetings of my local Civic association. I hate it; especially the line about "...liberty and justice for all...". It's performative bullshit
Every time I started a new grade, my dad would be practically salivating for the day when my teacher called me out for not standing for the pledge and he could lecture someone about our rights.
Even more insane is how Jehovahs witnesses claimed freedom of religion in 1940 Minersville v Gobitis (arguing it violates the commandment of false idols)…. And they LOST 😡
The Flag represents everything the trumpublicans hate, just like the Cross!
It’s bizarre that they’ve adopted the symbols, that least reflect their own values.
HYPOCRISY.
I used to just stand and not say it. I'm not doing that shit. My mama was proud of me when I told her I find it weird and I'm not pledging anything to a flag or a country.
Public schools are not just about math or science but a shared experience of diverse backgrounds. That’s why the far right is against them being fully funded and supported by the public education system. Like the division of information technology.
It’s not compulsory to engage in the pledge of allegiance. Non denominational moments of silence are allowed in public schools. Participation is voluntary or at least it used to be.
One Christmas my mom was complaining that one of her neighbors attending an HOA meeting refuse to say the pledge. I asked WTF would you be saying the pledge at an HOA meeting? It wasn't a pretty scene.
My Gma ain't play them games. According to my mom, the 1st thing she told me & my twin brother our very 1st day of kindergarten was not to stand up or say that mess.
Foreign exchange students at my kids' school always thought it was some major fascist crazy going on. Even before the current nutter got a seat on the 1600 PA Ave. crazy train.
Actually, not if you listen to the original words. It pledges you to civil rights, something MAGA just ignores. They don’t even listen to what they themselves say.
As a former elementary teacher even 10, 15 and 20 years ago I thought it was batshit. How anyone doesn’t see that as a form of indoctrination, I don’t know.
It was after 1986 (when I graduated hs), and before 1993 (when I started teaching middle school) that it was added to public morning routines (the pledge is from the 1930s).
And then they added “under God” in 2007, and it makes it so much more awkward.
I would have been a kid to fight it. I don’t remember. I’m sure I thought it through, figured it was a losing battle (parents would have totally sided with the school) and just moved my lips to something else.
I only did it in kindergarten & 1st grade. By 2nd grade my father said I didn’t have to anymore ( I asked could I stop) and told the school I wasn’t going to.
Comments
The point is we are a multi cultural society, and it gives us commonality.
1976 was the Bicentennial year and it was a great year for the USA at least in my community. It was celebrated all year and people were patriotic then.
We had our problems but. Not like now. 🤷♂️
Then she went on to say how she had a group of Mexicans roof her house. My wife had to end the convo.
Like even if the you were taught a critical history of the United States dollars to donuts you were still taught a softened version of history.
https://youtu.be/PPbIOTrIOg0?si=C4Q9CsrrpMvOQZMP
"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
https://www.ushistory.org/documents/pledge.htm?srsltid=AfmBOorIogZMr0Iz6KpKhOT5n0lZb7Hpbe8dkOfj_yCQJBM1F4-kXmPk
Easily divisible,
With Liberty, and Justice, for the rich and white
☝️Indoctrination
Figured religion out too around the same time but they didn’t beat my ass at Hebrew school when I told the Rabbi that. He was cool about it.
It’s bizarre that they’ve adopted the symbols, that least reflect their own values.
HYPOCRISY.
And then they added “under God” in 2007, and it makes it so much more awkward.
I had to fight their school over it and educate the principal on the matter. But they knew.