You're free to go be a Jamaican if it floats your boat. We pledge to the flag which REPRESENTS all that America stands for. It's a symbol. We don't have a picture of an idea....but ideas exist. I may kneel in front of a cross.......it may represent God, but I know the cross is not GOD.
I don't just 'mutter' words. I often tear up at the singing of our anthem. All of these trappings ( flag, anthem, etc) have meaning to me.......unlike people like Michelle Obama who was never proud of her country until 2 years ago..
Fine if it was 1900 but don't expect all intelligent people to recite 100+ year old verses, after all this country has been through IT STILL SAYS THE SAME THING. Carry on with your emotional traditions but don't knock someone else who realizes that there is a lot wrong with this country and refuses to bow down for pomp and circumstance and words that, in 2011, are meaningless.
You're right about the symbolism. But it needs to be worded "...and to the republic for which it STOOD...". Indivisible? I think not. Liberty and justice for all? Not that I've ever seen.
You just hold tight to your trappings and keep believing in 123 year old ideas. And 2000 year old ideas. Been outta the country lately? I mean to somewhere not all-inclusive. The rest of the world hates us lady. They hate you. They hate me. They hate our children, our politicians, our ideas, most everything. We've earned a lot of it. Not you or me but this wonderful republic that you think so highly of.
Maybe Mary poppins will float in with her umbrella to save you when one of these other countries decides they want our resources. We have offended a lot of people, we have taken a lot of lives protecting conservative delusions like yours. Your great country ain't all that great any more, and now it's shaking apart from the inside in large part because of disagreements like yours and mine.
The reason I am so drawn to the Jamaican National Pledge is that is places accountability on the people to do what they must to grow and learn and live peacefully.
Do you really wanna live in a country whose government insists that everyone say the pledge of allegiance? Even an elected official? I LIKE knowing that there is someone out there who has similar beliefs to mine and is willing to stand up for them because she is free to. I know where the advantages I have come from and I am extremely grateful for them. But the USA is never gonna rule the world. We weren't meant to. We were meant to roll with the changes and do our best, not be the best. As proud as I am of our country and what it's accomplished, I am also glad that other people's countries have/are developing into something they can be proud of. I am grateful for the technology and minds that come out of these countries as well as my own. I cannot imagine who I would be if I had not the opportunities to experience other cultures. I am glad that we have something so good that other people WANT to come and live here.
We set a beautiful example for the world for many years. The rest of the world is developing in it's own time, and they would not have many advantages that they do without our aid and influence. I AM PROUD OF THAT. They will never be just like us, we will never agree on everything. Not s'posed to. But we are supposed to learn and change if we are to have the lives that we want. Change is the best teacher ever.
I want to be proud of my country. As it stands now I am mortified. Embarrassed. Ashamed. Our behavior at times is reprehensible, often because folks with differing opinions can't even listen to each other. What makes me cry is standing over the graves of my grandfather and uncles glad that they didn't have to see the mess of a country they fought and gave their lives for.
Maybe some people would be a lot more comfortable if it were like the good old days. But those days weren't good for everyone. Change is necessary for progress, especially now. I don't wanna take anything from anyone. I don't expect anything that I haven't earned. I don't assume that the rest of the world feels any different than I do. But some people given too much power want more and more and more no matter who has to do without. They're the ones that don't want things to change. They want people to remain staunchly patriotic and sentimental and fearful of changing. Other people's fear is their biggest asset. It's unfortunate for us all.
I'm not right or wrong, and neither are you. IMO whatever is working best for someone it probably what they should be doing. But I get angry when so many people have been so misled for so long that they can't even experience all that life has to offer, and now they might want to keep me from it! And I am afraid! The conservative agenda in this country looks an awful lot like Germany did in the 30s and 40s. And I don't mean, hopefully, all of the torture and killing and horrid things that happened to anyone. It just freaks me out that so many people can believe in only one Truth and be so immovable. That's what the Germans did with hitler and all of the flags and hail and pomp and circumstance. All of the sentimentality. A majority of people believed in one doctrine because they were told that anything else would have horrible consequences. They were controlled by their fear.
Blah blah blah I know I talk too much. I'm sorry for my rudeness toward you. I care what you think of me whether you give a hoot or not. I know we may think about things very differently, but we're not like polar opposites or anything. I remember that you like Tyne Daly and a lot of the same ppl/stuff that I did. You were a golf widow, I think, and so was I. Still am some days. You were on here when my mom died years ago and were really nice to me. That was a really jumbled up time for me, and I remember Cheryl and Tie and Tooner and DS and Over9.5 and a lotta folks, but mostly you. Those are sorta good memories from a really hard time and as stupid as it may sound I am glad you were here. I'm glad you still are.
Cheers!
