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did anyone else from the USA grow up being forced to say the pledge to the flag in school? (media.kbin.social)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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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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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Non american here. I have a few questions.

  1. What exactly does it mean?
  2. What if you don't agree with it, for example the "under of god" part.
  3. Does it have a legal status? For example can you be arrested for not pleging allegiance, or failing to have pledged at some point in your life?
  4. What about freedom of speech? How can one force you to express yourself? I feel like freedom of speech goes both ways : I'd like to have the same freedom of "not speech" as well.
[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
  1. As school children, we swore this oath. It describes loyalty to the flag and (more importantly) the nation and ideals that the flag represents.
  2. As a child, I would just be silent during the 'under god' part. No one noticed. If they had, there isn't really anything they could do about it.
  3. There have been lawsuits. Basically, you are not legally obligated to say it. There would be a lot of peer pressure to do so, because each of our school days would start with the whole class saying it.
  4. Again, it is controversial, but you are not technically forced to say it.

Here is a breakdown of what the pledge means:
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America"
I swear loyalty to the flag
"and to the Republic for which it stands,"
and to the government it represents
"one Nation under God,"
a country guided by the Lord!
"indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"
united, with freedom and justice for everyone*

*terms and conditions apply

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