Author Topic: Why are you proud to say the Pledge of Allegiance? (Read 24897 times)

silverdonut · « **on:** December 15, 2003, 11:49:21 AM »

It's a project of mine and I want to get other people's point of views. So why are you proud to say the Pledge of Allegiance? (for those who live in America) Thanks for helping me out on my project.

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #1 on:** December 15, 2003, 11:53:49 AM »

I don't. I never say the pledge of allegiance. not becuase I disrespect my country or anything, I just don't. not really sure why....

Gibdo Master · « **Reply #2 on:** December 15, 2003, 12:09:54 PM »

I only said the Pledge because we were pretty much forced to in school.

silverdonut · « **Reply #3 on:** December 15, 2003, 12:27:50 PM »

Well that really helps....does anyone here say the pledge of allegiance and are proud to say it?

ThePerm · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2003, 12:30:14 PM »

im all for my country and all...but oaths...meh
i love heraldry though and really liek the flag

Majexto · « **Reply #5 on:** December 15, 2003, 12:44:53 PM »

I dont say it because I really dont know what it means exactly, I know what the words mean I just cant really fit it togethor. I dont feel right reciting somthing I do not fully understand. Im not entirely religious either. I think it would be more disrespectfull to my country for me to just say it to just say it.

Grey Ninja · « **Reply #6 on:** December 15, 2003, 01:29:47 PM »

I don't even remember my national anthem. I don't know if my country has a pledge of allegience or not, but I wouldn't care if they did.

Donut, sorry, but I don't really think your thesis holds true with many people other than the immigrated or the very old.

manunited4eva22 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 15, 2003, 01:51:54 PM »

I say all of it but, the under god part. I still say the rest of it because I have a long line of veterans in my family, and I like to remember those who have died defending our freedom.

Hostile Creation · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2003, 01:53:35 PM »

Yeah, but I'm not big on symbols. Just keep the country working and stop worrying about the unimportant details. Those will figure themselves out.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #9 on:** December 15, 2003, 01:55:18 PM »

Geeze, Grey you don't know the words to O Canada? That's a pretty easy song to remember or at least sound like you know the words to. It's certainly an easier song to remember than the Star Spangled Banner. Still I always feel kind of weird singing the anthem at hockey games and whatnot since I don't really have any loyalty to Canada. I believe that democracy is the best form of government and I'm happy I have the freedoms I have but there are so many things that the government stands for (and thus Canada stand for, at least in how I interpret it) that I sharply disapprove of that the country of Canada is not something I would pledge allegiance to. The whole concept of countries period is largely artificial anyway so it seems kind of silly to have loyalty to something that was merely created by man.

However I do take my religion seriously and feel that it's important for one to have pride in one's religion and to some that may seem as no different than patriotism. I think the reason I feel different about religion is that when one pledges allegiance to a religion they are really pledging allegiance to a god, an almighty deity. Even if you don't believe in the concept of a god it certainly makes more sense to be loyal to that than a institution that was created by mere mortal men.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #10 on:** December 15, 2003, 01:56:46 PM »

Not necessarily, Hostile- one of the most important things in running a country is having a people who have a sense of patriotism and pride, and the pledge of allegiance is one of the things that help strengthen that. The pledge by itself may not do go a long way towards instilling pride in our hearts, but its but one of many. A country whose people are apathetic towards its future is weak.

Hostile Creation · « **Reply #11 on:** December 15, 2003, 02:10:13 PM »

I think that nationalism should be a result of a well-run nation, and shouldn't necessarily be enforced like it is in America. As you can see, enforcing it hardly helps. . . pretty much everyone that's posted so far has said they don't believe in the words, or don't even know them. It is important, but it should be product of a country worth being proud of.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2003, 02:15:10 PM »

They don't believe in the pledge itself much, no, and neither do I. But if you ask quite literally any American if they're patriotic and have pride in their country, I guarantee you they'll release an emphatic hell yes.

And we already have a well run country- we may complain about it's many shortcomings, but that number pales in comparison to almost any other country on the planet, and it's because of that, I think, that we are so patriotic. But it's little things like a pledge that go towards strengthening it. Like I said, the pledge alone doesn't do much, but combined with the plethora of other things that follow the same idea, Americans' sense of nationalism is greatly strengthened.

Hostile Creation · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2003, 02:37:00 PM »

Exactly. Funny how much we argue here when we turn out agreeing. Though I'm very sure I could find a lot of Americans that hated America. Poor, stupid, disillusioned fools, but they exist.

Berny · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2003, 03:53:09 PM »

We don't say the pledge in school. We've OBVIOUSLY got more important stuff to do. Like waste our time with stupid homeroom announcements informing us of what celebrities birthday is today.

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #15 on:** December 15, 2003, 03:55:12 PM »

Well, I'm glad you saw the light, Hostile.

kennyb27 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 15, 2003, 04:41:57 PM »

Quote
But if you ask quite literally any American if they're patriotic and have pride in their country, I guarantee you they'll release an emphatic hell yes.

It's funny you say that mouse, because we just went over a survey in my Comparative Government class that said this about percentage of polled who were "proud to be a _____":

-United States -- 80%
-Britain -- 57%
-France -- 38%
-Italy -- 24%
-Germany -- <20%

I thought that was interesting. And my apologies for not having numbers on Canada or Australia.

nolimit19 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 15, 2003, 04:42:01 PM »

i agree with most of what is said in the pledge. i dont say it normally because i'm in college now. i'll say it if it comes up at a football game or something, but i am usually not in the position to. i do know the words because i said them everyday before school started for 9 years. i guess you could say im proud to say it because i am proud to be an American. yea i know that isnt the correct technical term, but i dont care. i am american. not united statian or whatever they want us to call ourselves. i am proud to be american because the founders of our country overcame the most powerful country on earth at the time and wrote the best governement document ever created. sure im not proud of everything america has become and everything its done, but in the end i rather be living hear than anywhere else.

Hostile Creation · « **Reply #18 on:** December 15, 2003, 04:48:35 PM »

I'm glad to be part of the 80% that's "proud to be a United States"

But I know what you mean kennyb27.

ThePerm · « **Reply #19 on:** December 15, 2003, 07:48:35 PM »

well its the United States of America....however it is kinda annoying not having like a name like you can easily say.
Also countries are an extended notion of family but rather on a macro scale rather then a micro scale.

Termin8Anakin · « **Reply #20 on:** December 16, 2003, 12:31:52 AM »

Australia don't have a 'pledge'. Probably the only time you would say something that would resemble a pledge is if you became an Australian citizen, and I was one by default.
We are all for being proud of our country, but it's not like we need a constant reminder by having to be forced to do it. In schools, we only really sing the national anthem at assemblies, which are once a week. They don't play it everyday on the speakers while we're in class, because, frankly, it gets annoying. I only like singing it when Australia is remembering some important day, or does something great, like win things at world events.

And I think our full name is the Commonwealth of Australia, but as if anyone could be bothered to remember that (unless you were the Prime Minister or something - sucked in Johnnie

). And if we voted to get rid of the Queen being our 'ruler', we would be called the Republic of Australia, but I doubt anyone would remember that either.

Oldskool · « **Reply #21 on:** December 16, 2003, 05:23:58 AM »

Personally, I find America in general to be overpatriotic. Most of Europe was also very Nationalistic until the First World War. The war ended before the Americans became as heavily involved as most of Europe had...

silverdonut · « **Reply #22 on:** December 16, 2003, 11:42:18 AM »

Well that hasn't helped much. Come on, you can't all tell me that none of you are proud to say the pledge of allegiance! Isn't somebody here patriotic enough to tell me why they are proud?

mouse_clicker · « **Reply #23 on:** December 16, 2003, 11:50:18 AM »

I think I've answered your question pretty well, silver.

silverdonut · « **Reply #24 on:** December 16, 2003, 02:15:01 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
They don't believe in the pledge itself much, no, and neither do I. But if you ask quite literally any American if they're patriotic and have pride in their country, I guarantee you they'll release an emphatic hell yes.

And we already have a well run country- we may complain about it's many shortcomings, but that number pales in comparison to almost any other country on the planet, and it's because of that, I think, that we are so patriotic. But it's little things like a pledge that go towards strengthening it. Like I said, the pledge alone doesn't do much, but combined with the plethora of other things that follow the same idea, Americans' sense of nationalism is greatly strengthened.

Yeah, I guess you answered my question. I was hoping for a lot more responses but oh well. THanks, mouse_clicker.

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Author Topic: Why are you proud to say the Pledge of Allegiance? (Read 24897 times)