Monday, June 14, 2010

When was the last time you recited the Pledge of Allegiance and would you ever say it without the "under God" addition?


11 comments:

evan the british ho said...

I have never said it under god or over him! I am a Pledge of Allegiance Virgin....plus I'll never say it unless, there's nothing you can do! I am British! Unless I have to to get my green card. How does it even start?

erin said...

I feel like I said it last year at a veteran's event or something. I can't recall.

I would prefer to say it w/o "Under God," although I'm not sure I'd remember the rest w/o it. I'd need practice.

rob said...

we said the pledge of allegiance before the congressional safe office awards earlier this year. it was awkward.


i normally just omit the "under god" part. i have since high school.

Andrew said...

I don't remember the last time I said the pledge of allegiance. It was probably in high school or middle school.

I honestly am not bothered by the use of the term "under God" in the pledge. To me, it symbolizes the humanity of this country. We can aspire to be the greatest country (and are led to believe it). But by saying we're under something, particularly something divine, makes me think we're reminded that Americans aren't divine.

That said, I think that people should be able to say God, Allah, Yahweh or abstain from it depending on their beliefs. I don't think one should be forced to say it.

John said...

I'm all for replacing under God with "America, fuck yeah"

Unknown said...

I feel like I've had to say it sometime in the last few years but i can't remember when. I haven't said the under God part since we stopped doing daily pledge in catholic school. i find when skipping the "under God" part that it's best to accompany your silence with a bitchy/disdainful look at all the people who do say it, thereby asserting your superiority of mind. it also helps indicate to your fellow pledgers that you are a liberal elite.

John, i like your suggestion, but it wouldn't fit in the exact spot as "under God", but that could be a nice closing at the end.

redder than the cherry on castro's cigar said...

3rd grade (or so) - I respectfully decline to recite ever, under any conditions.

Pledge allegiance to the interests of your fellow fucking human beings, not to a symbol, not to a geographic area. That ceremony and it's symbolism does mental violence, and I'd argue that it's the farthest thing from a healthy way to "show respect."

Oh, and fuck nationalism.

Lisa said...

Recited it several times recently - in my son's classroom, and somewhere else, but I can't place it.

Many people don't know the history of the "under God" addition from the McCarthy era. If it were changed back, I'd say it without it. I imagine it would take a while to get everyone reconditioned though!

Cate said...

i think i had to say it within the past few years, but can't recall the occasion. i always say under God. i'm a bad liberal/ progressive.

Unknown said...

I always thought the 'under god' part was weird & stopped saying it when I was about ten. I didn't know the McCarthy history then, but wasn't surprised to learn that the phrase was added later. It's incredibly nice to hear that most of you don't say it either! Thought I was the only liberal elitist glacing around the room with heathen disdain. :)

Leslie said...

We used to have to say it before all of our staff meetings at my last job. I never even thought about the "under God" part until I noticed Kelly didn't see it.