Author’s website: www.piecomic.com
I’m from the UK, my wife is from Singapore, and our son was born in the US. I really don’t think it’s appropriate to force him to pledge allegiance to the US, because he has strong ties to other countries. It feels like brainwashing.
It is brain washing.
Where I’m from children sing the national anthem once a week at the school assembly and usually a few other songs too.
There are typically no flags.
Singing once a week vs listening twice a year like in Russia. Please fix. Don’t be worse than Russia.
It raises my heckles and annoys the shit out of me. It’s not the hill I’ll die on though.
It’s also a dreadful dirge, which in recent years has been “jazzed up” and now it is even more grating to he ears, as well as nationalist B/S.
It’s also sung indigenous language version first then English which riles up the racists so it has it’s upsides.
They can’t force you, but teachers can decide that your behaviour in class is uncooperative and your answers are bad, so you should get bad grades. Teachers can decide that when you report you have been beaten up by the Nazi gang in school that you are probably making it up as you are always looking for attention and making yourself be special.
I’m sure it will be over turned soon. Precident and clear readings of the US constitution don’t matter much nowadays.
And we (the US) do it for soooo many public events for no reason! I was running in a marathon in Arkansas once where the host said that if anyone kneels during the anthem he will come and make them stand up. I just walked out after this and came back when the race started. There is only one reason: jingoism.
The irony is it was ruled based on freedom of religion, primarily.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_State_Board_of_Education_v._Barnette
When I was in school the pledge was always preceded by the statement “we live in a nation of freedom, participation in the pledge of voluntary. Those who wish to participate please stand, other may remain seated and quiet”
I remember when it first dawned on me how creepy the pledge is I began to sit and one teacher was like “what are you doing? You have to stand up!” so I explained that it seems creepy, and quoted the statement they always precede the pledge by and the teacher replied “oh I never thought about that” and left me alone from then on on the subject
I hope you don’t live in one of these 46-47 states.