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im 20 for reference. ever since i was a kid, up until hs, we were forced every morning to stand, look at the flag and hold our hearts and say:

"I pledge allegiance 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 didnt stand a single time because i disagreed with being forced, and i was berated by the teacher in front of everyone, and he threatened to kick me out of class if i ever did it again. i was about 11-12 then, it was 2015.

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[–] cloudless@feddit.uk 52 points 1 year ago (4 children)

As an outsider, I find it very cultish to pledge to a piece of cloth.

[–] Unaware7013@kbin.social 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It absolutely is, doubly so because of the added and unneeded "under god" bs that gets shoved into everything...

[–] euphoria@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

that was a huge issue i had with it too, but i omitted that so i didnt seem like an edgy tween atheist (though its a 100% valid criticism that i should have included).

[–] BraveSirZaphod@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's actually relatively recent, which is way, given the meter of the poem, it feels a little shoe-horned in. It was.

I wanna say it was in the 60s or so? Essentially as a way to promote a devout Christian image of America to contrast against the godless Soviets.

[–] BrerChicken@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

The pledge was written, by a minister in 1891 without the "under God" part. It was added by Congress in 1954 in the midst of Macarthyism and the Red Scare. In 2002 an appeals court said that forcing public school students to recite it was went against the separation of Church and State, and it was but stayed. The Supreme Court overturned that in 2004, but I think a lot of schools may have dropped it then.

[–] euphoria@kbin.social 16 points 1 year ago

no doubt, i 100% find it very cult-like and disgusting, and i had realized it then too.

[–] CoWizard@kbin.social 7 points 1 year ago

It's very strange. It's a very doublethink cult. The same people who worship the flag will vote to not give health benefits to 9/11 first responders. Those same people will then use american flag napkins.

[–] FiendishFork@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

Since I became an adult I always found it kind of strange. I did not realize just how strange it was until I dropped my son off at Pre-K a little late and walked in to a whole class of 4 year olds hands on hearts mumbling through the pledge. It was sooo eerie.