• Ephera@lemmy.ml
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      I’m German and learned about this via a friend from the US. When they mentioned it, I thought their teacher was a lunatic. Then they told me that this is normal course of action. Just what in the absolute fuck.

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        It depends on where and when in the US. In areas that are Democratic (the more liberal party) it doesn’t really happen much anymore, but in areas that are Republican (the more conservative party) it still happens at the start of every single school day.

        And the custom of doing this was started by a salesman trying to sell flags and magazine subscriptions. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bellamy#Pledge_of_Allegiance

          • errer@lemmy.world
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            I mean that’s just an unfortunate coincidence given it predated the rise of naziism.

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              Oh yeah, it definitely is in that sense. The point is that patriotism is hard to discern from facism. That they happened to use the same symbol here is just a good illustration of that. Ultimately, the Hitler Salute also started out as a symbol of patriotism before it all turned to genocide.

        • JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world
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          It’s state law where I live IIRC. They force you to say it, because of legal precedent, but the school can apparently get in trouble with the state if they don’t say it at the start of the day.

          It was always funny when we’d all stand up and only the teachers and maybe three students would say it.

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          An anachronism because there aren’t still powerful forces in America trying to witch hunt people with left-leaning ideas?

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            C’mon, don’t be ridiculous! If the US was so anti left, Sanders would never make it to become president! We don’t want to live in the timeline where the Republicans won the 2016 election because the Democrats didn’t dare to send Sanders because he’s too far left.

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        Growing up, for a time my folks were way into the evangelical thing and I attended a totally batshit religious school where we recited 3 pledges back-to-back every morning. To the U.S. flag, the Christian flag and the Bible. Then had to recite entire chapters of the Bible we had per force committed to memory that week. Failure to do so was grounds for savage corporal punishment. No other experience in life so inoculated me against authoritarianism and organized religion. It also let me know at that tender age that sadists existed.

      • Juvyn00b@lemmy.world
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        My wife used to work for a company that had a morning stand up and daily affirmation. I told her it sounded like she was in a cult. She agreed.

    • NegativeInf@lemmy.world
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      In high school like 15 years ago we not only had the regular pledge, we had to pledge to the Texas state flag. Which you hold out your hand like you are holding something?

      “Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.”

      It’s all hot garbage and unquestioning nationalism. The good bit was, only one teacher ever gave me flack for sitting out the pledge with my little emo ass. And that was my ultra conservative AP US Government teacher. And he was just a nut ball. But when I framed it as my freedom he chilled.

      He was still wrong about flat taxes not being regressive!

      • acosmichippo@lemmy.world
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        but how can you pledge allegiance to two separate entities?

        scenario A: if texas ever attempted secession then you’d have to break one of your pledges.

        scenario B: Texas always remains loyal to the US, which makes the texas pledge superfluous. you pledged allegiance to the US which includes texas.

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          It’s to incept the idea of secession into little kids head’s. Paint Texas as self sufficient and not dependent at all. Then make em want to leave.

          I hate this state, but if all the liberals leave, it will only get worse for the next set of young people born here.

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        That’s so weird to me. I grew up in an area of Texas that is very red today. We quit both pledges in the 3rd or 4th grade. It’s weird that we did it at all, but that was back when they also taught that freedom of the individual was super important and if you didn’t like what someone else was doing you could always just look away because it wasn’t your fucking business. So they didn’t make us do it at a certain point because it was counter to the other shit they said. That was in the years leading up to Ann Richards being voted as governor so that may inform outsiders of what was happening at the time.

        There’s a lot of problematic shit that happened when I was a kid. Don’t get me wrong. But at least they seemed to be headed the right direction at the time with the info we had (that’s a whole other ball of garbage that I’m not picking at today…ask me another time when it’s not 3am). I had forgotten about both pledges as an adult until someone reminded me a few years ago that it was a thing.

        Texas has gotten way more idiotic over the last 30 odd years.

  • Obinice@lemmy.world
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    Such a creepy thing, getting children to chant in devotion to a state flag in schools.

    It’s the sort of thing they probably do in places like NK, or the Third Reich, you don’t expect it to come from a supposedly modern, non imperialist nationalistic nation, ya know? :-(

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      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.

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        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.

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                Well we defeated that ideology! And then wrapped it in red white and blue and made it our own! so take that!

                please help us

                maybe you guys can invade us this time?

                also, it was kinda the russians more than us…

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                  Not russians, soviet people. Well, russians too, but also ukrainians, belarusians/belorussians, armenians, georgians, long list of other nationalities that now their own states and even longer list of nationalities without one.

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            This is one if even two a year episodes of listening to anthem less, but if even once a year more singing than Russia. Kinda better, but not that much in this regard.

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          Singing once a week vs listening twice a year like in Russia. Please fix. Don’t be worse than Russia.

          • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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            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.

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              Your anthem is a dreadful dirge you say, is it also a bloody war chant too?

              Because ours, in the first part that everybody knows, has enemy soldiers slitting the throat of our spouse and children as we hold them, and us taking arms so our fields are watered with impure blood. Then, many more verses about foreigners coming to enslave us and the need to fight to the death.

              Also a nice, hopeful late addition in which our children have to vow over our crumbled remains that they will avenge our deaths or follow us in the tomb.

              At least they don’t require that kids sing it in school though.

        • Tryptaminev@lemm.ee
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          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.

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          I’m sure it will be over turned soon. Precident and clear readings of the US constitution don’t matter much nowadays.

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          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

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          Stop posting nonsense, its settled law that you can’t force people to say the pledge.

    • brsrklf@jlai.lu
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      In French schools that kind of indoctrination would be immediately likened to the Nazi-empowered Vichy government in the 40s.

      But you know, the grandchildren of those have brainwashed enough people that they’re already seeing themselves in power right now, so maybe we’ll get that again soon, and a lot worse?

      French people, vote today. Please.

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        French people, please do your national sport: revolution.

        • brsrklf@jlai.lu
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          We need a new constitution, badly. One that gives more power to the parliament, and less to the president. The current constitution is De Gaulle’s creature, it was tailor made for him and simply doesn’t represent people in today’s political map.

          The fact people don’t feel their vote matters anymore is one of the main reasons far right is so strong right now. Macron has been elected with less than 28% of expressed votes on first turn of the election, yet he basically runs the place.

          Changing constitution is actually in the left wing alliance’s program. Except they want to do it democratically, by being elected into power, not through a revolution.

          • uis@lemm.ee
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            Except they want to do it democratically, by being elected into power, not through a revolution.

            The world has changed. Even France doesn’t want revolution.

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        I really hope you guys avoid the far right government that we keep hearing Marine Lepen is trying to install. The one upside I can see is that she will hopefully scare the shit out of some moderates in the US so we avoid Trump

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          Results are (mostly) in, far right is way too high but still third, behind the left and presidential alliances. Worrying for the future but it could have been worse.

          Some of the far right candidates had already called for “not accepting the result of the election if they lose”. I am sure you can draw some parallels…

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      Such a creepy thing, getting children to chant in devotion to a state flag in schools.

      Apparently, schools will have to display the ten commandments in classrooms, which means all the kiddies with functional brains get to wonder why chanting to a piece of colored fabric isn’t considered worshipping a false idol.

      Also, all the military recruiters will get to awkwardly explain the whole “thou shallt not kill” thing…

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        all the kiddies with functional brains

        It is the job of the education system to root out these potential future threats to social order.

    • Roflmasterbigpimp@lemmy.world
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      I said it once, I say it again. Why the Flag? I don’t get it. Why not the Constitution? The Flag changed so many Times in US history.

      Is there an actual reason or just because the flag is a more visual Token for loyalty?

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        I think it’s because the people who made the pledge were just trying to sell flags. “A flag in every classroom” or something to that effect. So, once again, the answer is capitalism.

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        Dunno for US, but in some monarchies, the flag was carried around by representatives who delivered the will of the king/queen/emperor/etc. So seeing the flag was the same as seeing the ruler in person. Symbolism I guess.

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        The visual qualities are exactly the point.

        If you wave around the constitution, it’s indistinguishable from some random bits of parchment. Most people can recognize their flag, even when it’s flapping around and next to similar flags. Humans are just very visual creatures.

        In either case, the pledge isn’t actually to the object itself but to the country represented by that object.

        The problem we have in the US is that Old Glory is commonly used to represent some particular group’s vision of what the US should be rather than a symbol of the country as a whole. When that sort of change is broadly positive, such as when it started to become a symbol of American ingenuity in space, it’s easy for everyone to rally behind. When it starts to symbolize a message like, “We should give the police unrestrained power.” it becomes more divisive.

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          Bullshit, I instantly could picture the declaration of independence, it is not a crazy symbol to use as noone has 400 year old parchment lieing around anymore.

          I think theres an argument over which would be a more appropriate symbol but personally I think the nationalism stuff to be silly when theres not much the US has done to be proud of.

          I’m proud of our younger generations. Do they have a flag?

      • Pat_Riot@lemmy.today
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        It fits the rhythm, the cadence better. Makes it easier to remember and recite.

        What is strange to me is while you’re made to repeat the pledge every day as a child in school, the practice is not carried into adult life at all. We hear the national anthem at every sporting event (not that I go to sporting events), but I can’t think of a single time I was expected to pledge allegiance as an adult.

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        Why the Flag? I don’t get it. Why not the Constitution?

        Yes… why worship a piece of colored fabric and when you can worship a piece of paper with scribbles on it instead?

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          The constitution is still the constitution, when you read it from a website. It is still the constitution, when it is read out loud. It is the text and interpretation that matters.

          So in terms of pledges it is the least troublesome symbol.

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            Allow me to rephrase, then.

            Why worship a piece of colored fabric and when you can worship a piece of paper that literally institutionalizes the practice of slavery instead of abolishing it?

            I guess that’s just not “troublesome” enough for the average white liberal, eh?

            • Tryptaminev@lemm.ee
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              Oh i absolutely agree that it is bullshit. In principle a constitution however is a reasonable thing for pledges. Politicians, judges, military and the like pledging to uphold and protect their countries constitution is a good thing. (Now whether they actually do that is another question.)

        • Roflmasterbigpimp@lemmy.world
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          Yeah I get that it is a symbol but like I said, the Flag changed often and I would have guessed that the Constitution would be a better Symbol.

          But idk tho, I’m just some prick from Europe ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

    • lath@lemmy.world
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      In post-communist eastern Europe it was common to reinforce the nationalistic sentiment in schools to try and erase the Soviet/Russian influence in case of a posible future separatist movement from within.

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      I live in Ireland, we had an American teacher visit our school for a year. She taught us the pledge, it stands out as one of the stranger memories of my childhood. That and her repeated “they didn’t want bush any more, they wanted Clinton”. Which should give you some sort of hint of how long ago this was.

      • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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        She taught you guys the pledge to the US flag or at least made it about the flag of Ireland?

        • valkyre09@lemmy.world
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          Taught us the US pledge. I don’t remember there actually being a flag in the room, but it was a good 30 years ago

    • uis@lemm.ee
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      Such a creepy thing, getting children to chant in devotion to a state flag in schools.

      Even in Russia kids don’t chant in devotion to a state flag in schools. America, please fix your schools.

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      I know what you meant by “state flag” but I want to be cheeky, so here goes:

      We didn’t pledge to a state flag but the federal flag. But the state of Maryland has a fabulous flag, and I’m still devoted to its design all these years later.

      For whatever reason, in the 70s, in Maryland, I only recall pledging allegiance in the morning at the start of school during first grade. I don’t think we did it past second grade. In any case, I took the opportunity to insert curse words. I would say it like, “I pledge allegiance to the shit, and to the asshole for which it shits.” I didn’t lower my voice either. I just figured that I would never be noticed. Thinking back, I am surmising that my teacher must have noticed at least once but just ignored it.

  • FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today
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    Even worse, some versions of the pledge make you swear “under god” which is fucked up. Christian Nationalists are what is destroying america.

    • Senseless@feddit.org
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      Christian NationalistsReligious fundamentalists are what is destroying america everything

      FDFY

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        It’s not that I disagree, but it seems like a very separate statement with very little connection to the main topic of this discussion.

        We have a very specific and very pressing issue in the USA that deserves more focus than your broad global stroke.

        • Metz@lemmy.world
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          You think backward-looking, misogynistic religious nationalist nutjobs trying to seize power are a specifically US problem?

          • volodya_ilich@lemm.ee
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            For the most part, yes, it’s a problem either within the US, or sponsored/caused by the US. Afghanistan, Israel, US, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Emirates…

    • Emerald@lemmy.world
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      Indivisible is the funniest part to me though. It’s like saying the Titanic is unsinkable

    • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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      Good How can there be different versions of the pledge? Is it that each state technically has their own pledge?

      • TragicNotCute@lemmy.world
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        Under god is part of the pledge from my understanding. Beyond that, other states do have their own pledges.

        • Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
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          The “under god” portion was added in the 50s or 60s, same with adding “in god we trust” to all currency

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        We added “under God” to the pledge in the 50s or 60s. At the same time we put “In God We Trust,” on the dollar. We were differentiating against the USSR which was an atheist state.

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        If you were expecting me to play google and give you a rundown on pledge of allegiance modern history, I’m afraid you’ve hit a dead end.

    • masquenox@lemmy.world
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      Christian Nationalists are what is destroying america.

      So it’s not all bad news, then.

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    I remember when 1 student in my class said she wasn’t doing the pledge and the teacher said something along the lines of “it’s a free country so you don’t have to” almost no one did from that point on.

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    A country that truly believes in freedom and democracy shouldn’t require you to take a loyalty oath every day.

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    The “and” is the really wierd part.

    If they had worded it as “I pledge allegiance to the flag, to the republic for which it stands” you could think: “Ok, the flag is just a symbol of the country, you’re actually just pledging allegiance to the country.”

    But, the “and” makes it clear that it’s to the country and to the flag. How can you have allegiance to a flag? It isn’t even about pledging to respect the flag, it’s “allegiance”. It’s like pledging obedience to the colour blue, or pledging fealty to the sound of applause.

    • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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      Here’s why:

      The Pledge of Allegiance was first published for Columbus Day, on September 8, 1892, in the Boston magazine The Youth’s Companion. It was written by a member of the magazine’s staff, Francis Bellamy. The publication of the Pledge, and its wide redistribution to schools in pamphlet form later that year lead to a recitation by millions of school children, starting a tradition that continues today.

      Anyways, soldiers have died to save the flag. Standard bearers were critical officers during battle, and were responsible for holding a unit together, say when charging an enemy line or rallying the troops to defend a trench. Losing the standard could lose the battle and your men.

    • ltxrtquq@lemmy.ml
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      or pledging fealty to the sound of applause.

      There’s a joke in there somewhere about chasing fame and the approval of strangers

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    See, I’m playing both sides so that I always come out on top.

    Memes aside, it’s totally not a form of brainwashing to have young children pledge allegiance to the flag before they’re even old enough to understand the concept of pledges or allegiances!

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      I grew up in America and have lived in Canada for seven years now. I’ve come to recognize that Canadians (except for the staunch conservatives who aren’t pleased with anything) are proud and loyal to Canada because it’s a beautiful country that has (for the most part) taken pretty good care of its people. Americans are proud and loyal mostly because they were brainwashed throughout their lives by pledges, patriotic songs, and tall tales about the founding fathers. I personally found little to be proud of in my thirty years as an American.

      Also, one time a pair of planes took down some skyscrapers. Alan Jackson wrote a song about it, and America invaded an unrelated country. That made people really proud too.

      • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Of all the 9/11 songs, I feel like Alan Jackson’s was alright. It was contemplative and didn’t call for violence. Yeah, it had a religous turn to it, but it was talking about love being more important than politics and war.

        Toby Keith, on the other hand, wrote songs about bombing Muslims and other military-porn shit. Fuck that guy.

      • Queen HawlSera@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        I’m just so proud of generations that weren’t around during 9/11, for making memes about it, and mocking the “NEVA FORGET!!111” Propaganda in the process

        George W. Bush absolutely did 9/11 on purpose.

  • chemical_cutthroat@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    I pledge Ally Sheedy to the slag
    Of the United Skates of Emilio
    And to the repugnant
    for Richard Stanz
    One naked undergarment
    Invisible man
    With Liberace and puffed rice for all.

  • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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    4 months ago

    Stop thinking for yourself, Corey.

    Blindly accept allegiance to the piece of fabric we chose, Corey.

    Just say the words and be indoctrinated into our cult to be a mindless slave with unwavering loyalty, Corey.

    Do as we say, Corey.

    • NaibofTabr@infosec.pub
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      4 months ago

      The First Ammendemnt protects your right to not participate in reciting the pledge of allegiance:

      In 2006, in the Florida case Frazier v. Alexandre, a federal district court in Florida ruled that a 1942 state law requiring students to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. As a result of that decision, a Florida school district was ordered to pay $32,500 to a student who chose not to say the pledge and was ridiculed and called “unpatriotic” by a teacher.

      In 2009, a Montgomery County, Maryland, teacher berated and had school police remove a 13-year-old girl who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. The student’s mother, assisted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, sought and received an apology from the teacher, as state law and the school’s student handbook both prohibit students from being forced to recite the Pledge. reference

      You might suffer some immediate consequences from ignorant people, but courts have repeatedly upheld that this is protected by the First Amendment. Even the current Supreme Court would have a hard time justifying overturning this precedent.

      You could even argue that choosing not to participate is a highly patriotic act, as an exercise of your Constitutional rights as a citizen.

      • Anti-Face Weapon@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I’ve always viewed not participating to be patriotic. You are under no obligation to provide oaths to this country, and refusing to do so under peer pressure is can be an act of patriotism.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I got fucking nuclear on my daughter’s 6th grade permanent “substitute” teacher for taking my daughter out in the hallway and lecturing her when she refused to say the pledge. I didn’t prompt my daughter to not say the pledge, she just decided not to because, in her words at the time, “it’s stupid to say a pledge to a flag.” And my daughter is not one who is easy to get to do something she thinks is incredibly stupid. Sent her multiple links about West Virginia v. Barnette and the like.

        She apologized to me (not my daughter) and also lied that taking her into the hall and giving her a private talk wasn’t a punishment, but my daughter didn’t have to say the pledge anymore. She told me other kids also refused to once she did, but whether that means one or ten, I don’t know.

        As for that teacher, I found out after the school year was over that she was telling the kids that Trump really won the 2020 election and it was all a big hoax. I would have once again gone nuclear, that time at the school system, but she had already quit for a job at a private Christian school.

        By the way, this woman’s previous teaching credentials were “running a children’s theater.” Indiana sucks.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            I wish I could blame them, but I can’t. Between this state’s bigoted and draconian policies about what teachers can and can’t say and the ridiculously low pay, I wouldn’t stick around either.

            Indiana does have the Indiana Connections Academy, which is an online public school where accredited teachers give instruction vie videoconference (and private chat if necessary). My daughter is in it and doing really well. Since it’s a public school, we don’t have to pay for her to go, but I did have to stop working in order to put her through it because it requires an adult to be a “learning coach” to keep your kid on track.

            We put her in it for other reasons, but the difference in education quality is like night and day. I’m sure in no small part because the teachers are paid well. Or well for Indiana anyway.

            Unfortunately, the program is run by Pierson, and they’re evil, but all the kids are using Pierson textbooks in public schools anyway since Pierson has a near monopoly.

    • Takumidesh@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      When I was in school, generally nothing, the teacher might bother you about it, but they for the most part don’t care and would rather move on with the day.

      Sometimes kids parents would devise a reason to exclude their kid, but it was effectively optional, though generally encouraged.

      • Emerald@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Which makes a lot more sense then pledging alleigance to the cheap sheet of flexible plastic in the classroom

          • Match!!@pawb.social
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            4 months ago

            I would love to believe this but i can’t find any evidence. Do you have a source?

            • rekorse@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              People keep linkin to Francis Bellamy’s Wikipedia as source for this. Haven’t read it myself yet. Seems more likely that they capitalized after creation, when they realized some money could be made.

              Can’t imagine theres tons of money in flags but who knows.

  • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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    4 months ago

    I would be wary of an ethnostate’s offer if you weren’t part of that ethnicity

    Much safer to take Russia’s offer

    • uis@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      Please do it AFTER Pu and his mafia dies, goes to Hauge or convicted domestically. Thanks.

        • alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml
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          4 months ago

          Eradicating local culture in Tibet and Xinjiang

          Except they still have their culture. We know what eradication of a culture looks like, it looks like schools that ban the use of native languages, instead of teach in them.

          ~98% of Tibetans speak a Tibetan language.

          Enforcing Mandarin

          Everyone in China learns Mandarin in additional to their local language, how else are they supposed to communicate with people from other parts of China?

        • Match!!@pawb.social
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          4 months ago

          I wouldn’t say that makes them an ethnostate (considering the obvious genetic, cultural, and language diversity among Han ethnicities) but the forced Mandarin and Uyghur re-education camps are better arguments

          • UrbonMaximus@feddit.uk
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            4 months ago

            “Ethnostate - noun. a state that is dominated by members of a single ethnic group.” That exactly makes them an Ethnostate. Mandarin and Uyghur re-education camps is authoritarianism.

            • Match!!@pawb.social
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              Han Chinese isn’t a single ethnic group. They don’t speak the same language and they’re genetically and culturally diverse. The CCP is attempting to erase that diversity to become an ethnostate.

              • UrbonMaximus@feddit.uk
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                4 months ago

                Just because you disagree with a definition, doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

                Every country is culturally diverse, but there’s still statistical common denominator. You have big differences in languages, accents, food, culture in the UK and yet 82% are white British. Same goes for Germany, Japan etc. Every country do their demographic analyses differently, but the point is that they all can have major differences within the same ethic group.

                So we should either agree to use the same definition or agree that it has no meaning and not use that word at all.

                • Match!!@pawb.social
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                  4 months ago

                  I agree with your definition of ethnostate and everything you said. But Han Chinese is strictly not a single ethnicity and it is purely to the CCP’s advantage to say it is.

                  edit: Han is what we might call a race, in that it’s a bunch of distinct ethnicities bundled together via social construct for the purposes of allying that group of ethnicities against the others. So China is a racist state, but not an ethnostate, because an ethnostate is “a state that is dominated by members of a single ethnic group.”