Via Fark: Read this silly story on loyalty oaths.
How about we cut them out as a "tradition" altogether? It serves no purpose and only makes people uncomfortable. Why do we have to enforce this sort of thing?
It's a ridiculous and antiquated prayer ritual that started in 1892, and espouses the mythology of America rather than the reality.
When I was an exchange student in the US the daily recitation of the Pledge was something I found quite odd. There is no equivalent here in Oz. Some primary (elementary) schools do have an assembly for a flag raising and singing of the anthem, but even then it's a once a week thing incorporated into a general school assembly where other matters are presented.
ReplyDeleteAnd as an outsider, I wasn't too sure how to approach the Pledge. I wasn't American, so I didn't make sense to me to recite the Pledge. Even so, being the only one in class not reciting I did certainly feel like the odd one out, and would occasionally say it with the other students. I understand the power of peer pressure and the desire to fit in with the crowd that does concern those people that oppose the compulsory recitation in class. Well, perhaps peer pressure in my instance is not quite right. They understood I was a foreigner so didn't have to say it, but being a stranger in a strange land I did feel the desire to fit in.
And therein lies the problem: those people who advocate that the Pledge should be said in class, and thereby point out to all in the class who is not saying it, seem to deny the power of group identity, especially amongst children. They don't seem to care if children are saying the Pledge just to fit in with the group, or if they are saying because they want to affirm their patriotism (presuming of course a young child actually understands what it means to take a pledge).
And that Tedesco bloke is an idiot: "There's no way a heckler's veto should abridge the constitutional rights of the majority." Hecklers? No one is heckling you. Nor are they abridging any Constitutional right. The Pledge is being said, by those who wish to say it, in a venue provided by the school. The man has a penis for a head.
When I was an exchange student in the US the daily recitation of the Pledge was something I found quite odd. There is no equivalent here in Oz. Some primary (elementary) schools do have an assembly for a flag raising and singing of the anthem, but even then it's a once a week thing incorporated into a general school assembly where other matters are presented.
ReplyDeleteAnd as an outsider, I wasn't too sure how to approach the Pledge. I wasn't American, so I didn't make sense to me to recite the Pledge. Even so, being the only one in class not reciting I did certainly feel like the odd one out, and would occasionally say it with the other students. I understand the power of peer pressure and the desire to fit in with the crowd that does concern those people that oppose the compulsory recitation in class. Well, perhaps peer pressure in my instance is not quite right. They understood I was a foreigner so didn't have to say it, but being a stranger in a strange land I did feel the desire to fit in.
And therein lies the problem: those people who advocate that the Pledge should be said in class, and thereby point out to all in the class who is not saying it, seem to deny the power of group identity, especially amongst children. They don't seem to care if children are saying the Pledge just to fit in with the group, or if they are saying because they want to affirm their patriotism (presuming of course a young child actually understands what it means to take a pledge).
And that Tedesco bloke is an idiot: "There's no way a heckler's veto should abridge the constitutional rights of the majority." Hecklers? No one is heckling you. Nor are they abridging any Constitutional right. The Pledge is being said, by those who wish to say it, in a venue provided by the school. The man has a penis for a head.