States that require the pledge

I was at a hockey game in Chicago in April 2010. The Hawks were tearing up the opposition on the way to the Stanley Cup. I stood next to an American guy and during the Anthem the Hawks' fans just roared and yelled at the tops of their voices. I stood in silence until it finished. As we sat down the guy turned to me and said 'I love that song'! I pointed out to him that it was about giving my people a good kicking (he hadn't realised I was a Brit at that point). After a pause he said 'yeh but we are buddies now'!

 

I haven't read the whole thread but here is a map
http://undergod.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000074

 

Man, I really don't like the tune to our national anthem. I wish it was more of a fight song tune that was more singable like some other countries. The French I think do it right. Palestine's is pretty awesome also. The USSR did many things wrong, but their national anthem wasn't one of them. (Sorry, in a high school music class, we studied different national anthems.)

That said, I do love hearing it sung at sporting events. Especially in the Superdome where it ends "home of the Saints" and is followed by 73,000 yelling "who dat" in unison. It's cheesy, but I get chill bumps at every game.

 

MissCeliaB, totally agree. I get chills every time it's sung at sporting events. I have to say though that I hate people who drag it out and try and do different things with it. It's not the time to have a singing contest!

 

I love the National Anthem, too. I think it's a beautiful piece, but my true favorite is Battle Hymn of the Republic. I love the version that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings in which just the men do an a Capella version in the middle.

(Btw, why did spell check tell me Capella has to be capitalized?)

 

Making little kids say the pledge is sort of silly. How about once a week take the time it took to say it to teach some American History. As for the SSB it is hard to sing. AMerica the Beautiful would be great for an anthem. Growing up in the rural south we learned all the American songs and I loved it. I even remembered a singing version of the Pledge. Very catchy tune

 

Perhaps I'm uncomfortable with it cause I never have done it before. Plus, I think that I worry about states seeing themselves as seperate-which is why we had a civil war.

 

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I support this and am so thankful I teach in Texas!!! Yes we say pledge (the one with God in it), Texas pledge, and have a moment of silence EVERY morning.

 

hmy:

It's like my lessons, if we don't get to it, there's always tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

??? and you went into teaching.....why????

 

Thank you and that is certainly what I would do if I visited another country. Being respectful doesn't mean you are agreeing and pledging allegiance. It just means you respect other's feeling/beliefs/traditions as being valid.

I don't agree with making even American children do the pledge, but they can be respectful (quiet, standing).

 

It's surprising to me how many teachers here have a problem with the pledge.

As for me, I consider it an honor to pledge my loyalty to my country, which I love dearly.

 

I think the pledge is important, but I don't think it should have "God" in it. It was added years after the pledge was written and the original intention was for it to not be in there. Out country is very diverse and always has been. I've seen some students feel left out when the class recites it and this only tells them that they are not a part of this country.

 

And I think you should be completely free to say the pledge without God - and I will continue to say it with God. As far as the words, "under God" being added years later - stars were added to the American flag over years and years. It doesn't make our flag, as it is now, invalid or obsolete simply because it's not the original.

 

Pledge

Not sure if we require the pledge either, but we say it everyday in my clasroom in Florida. Also, we sing the Star Spangled Banner EVERY DAY which I really wish we didnt have to do. I really enjoy the song, but not for 180 days. I wish my students could learn several different patriotic songs.

 

I love my country, too. I especially love its form of government, which emphasizes the rule of law.

As a result, I support and honor the Supreme Court decision that allowed for dissenting families to keep their children from being forced to say the pledge or being ostracized and punished for remaining silent. Adults have the same rights.

One of the things I love about this country is that individuals have rights, protected by the Constitution and the Supreme Court, even when the majority would - if it could - take away those rights.

 

It isn't state-wide in Ohio, but this came up in today's news: http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2011/aug...ts-pledge-allegiance-recited-daily-ar-662719/

 

I only disagree with the addition of "under God" because it was done not during a peaceful time in America, but during the Red Scare, when people were worried about a communist invasion. For some reason a politician decided that adding "under God" somehow protected the U.S. from the "godless" Soviets.
It wasn't added to honor the Christian people of this country or the Christian founders of the country (even if only a fraction of the founders were Christian).
I feel that it should be changed to something like "my creator" or return to the original version and just keep "indivisible." I know some people would like to think that white Christians built this nation, but the truth is people from all parts of the world built it together.

 

Funny. When I was a kid I thought the "Under God" was put in as a little token to Alaska and Hawaii because they weren't physically connected. I've known that wasn't the case, but that may have been the closest I came to pondering the Pledge until I had homeroom classmates that didn't say it for religious reasons.

 

Not sure if it is required, but we are led in the pledge over the PA every morning. All students are required to stand. If they say the pledge they are expected to put their hands over their hearts. If they don't say it, they must remain silent while the rest do.

BTW It makes me crazy how it is read - there is no pause between "One nation" and "under God".

We also practice a moment of silence. That comes before the pledge.

 

VIRGINIA: The state requires public schools to begin each day with a minute of silence to be used by students for meditation or prayer, under a law upheld in July 2001 by a panel of the 4th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals and declined review by the Supreme Court. The decision is binding only in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and the Carolinas. Beginning with the 2001 fall school year, Virginia state law also requires public schools to teach and start each day with the pledge; participation is optional.