You don't have to, and when I was a teenager I refused. As I got older, I started thinking about what it meant. Now I can't see why you wouldn't want to. We are so fortunate and so blessed in this country. We have so many freedoms that other countries don't offer. In many countries, you don't have the option to refuse to do anything the government tells you to do. In China, they tell you how many children you may have and they check your periods if you are female to make sure you are complying. In some countries, if you are the wrong color or the wrong ethnic group, they just kill you. In many, you don't get to vote. If you do get to vote, they watch you vote. If you vote for the wrong person, you might disappear and never be seen again. In many countries, you don't get to decide you don't agree with the state religion, or the lack of the state religion. So I have come to look at saying the Pledge, standing erect, hat off and hand over heart, as a way of saying thank you for all the freedoms and blessings I might otherwise take for granted, to all the people who have sacrificed to make it possible and to the God who authored it. No this country isn't perfect, but from what I can see, its the best option out there and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. People are fighting to get in here, and they are fighting to get out of the countries they live in, and that is evidence enough for me.

Definitely. Children should learn to stand for something.

They're teaching their children how to be suicide bombers and you're worried about ''The Pledge of Allegiance'' yo???...

What country do you live in? If I KNEW this Q wouldn't be rejected as nonsense, BELIEVE ME, I would flag this ridiculous questions as PURE Nonsense! There are tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of men and women who gave their lives and sacrificed their limbs and sanity so YOU AND EVERY OTHER PERSON could live in this free country! The VERY LEAST you should do is stand at attention with your hand over your heart and respect that beautiful banner! AND IF you doubt one letter or word of this answer, I DARE YOU to print it and show it to an adult - someone who KNOWS what the fine ladies and gentlemen who came before you and did for ALL OF US! Here is my answer: OF COURSE! AND IF you disagree, why don't you move to ANOTHER country? Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it! VTY, Ron Berue Yes, that is my real last name! Sources: Because you asked. Some personal observations and opinions. "THE University of Hard Knocks" also known as ("a/k/a") "life's valuable lessons"

I refused when I was a child for 2 reasons: (1) I owe allegiance to no one; (2) the "under god" phrase. My son went to a public school for about two months. They sent him home with a print out of the pledge of allegiance and told him to memorise it. We threw it in the rubbish. We pulled him from these repressive/oppressive schools and have been homeschooling him ever since.

Yes, if you don't it shows totally disrespect for the US and the young men and women who serve our country everyday.

No. That's indoctrinal nonsense.

The Pledge of Allegiance is part of being a good citizen. School is only one place where education on citizenship occurs. So yes, I absolutely belive one should say it in school. It's part of learning how to be a good and responsible citizen.

Copying my elders? LOL I am quoting the original post—turning a phrase, if you will. Of course, in defence, if the adage is relevant, why not go with it? As far as driving is concerned, I only buy gasoline from Citgo, which is sourced from Venezuela.

Well, I ignored Franklin's quote, which by the way is not taken out of context as blessed so thinks. It is precisely this context in which he was speaking: A person willing to trade freedom for security deserves neither. As far as terrorist are concerned, the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world today is the United States of America. What is your assault rifle doing about that? <pause> I thought so. You may also wish to read up on the meaning behind the second amendment before you limit the scope to terrorists. Remember it was in response to being repressed by ones own government—not some external threat. That's what a standing army does.

Whether or or it is *meant* for something, it has never translated into that something. It has always failed in the long run. So, no, I don't agree.

Jehan, Well, I see we are actually on the same page. The difference is that I don't want to *settle* for government. We need a solution, but government is not the right one. It is suboptimal at best.

Let me first say that you should check out Thom Hartman's book, "Screwed: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class," though he is not so much an anarcho-syndicalist. In any case, people should be in charge of their own destinies. I believe in direct government. We do not need appointed leaders in power. If you study history of other cultures, you can see examples of better forms of government. Democracy is fine, even with its drawbacks, but the US has no Democracy. We call ourselves a Constitutional Republic, but we are an Oligarchy controlled by corporate shills—one foot in the door of Fascism.

I don't think I understand the controversy. In a country where neglecting to wear a flag pin is akin to communism, I'd think the Pledge of Allegiance would be mandatory. I said it throughout my school year. Occasionally I thought about what it meant. Other than that, I haven't a clue. If you don't want to say it, don't say it. Simply stand up so you won't get yelled at. It's over rather quickly. Once you're done with school, you don't ever have to say it again. There are plenty of other things to take issue with. Like flag pins.

I don't think anybody should be forced to say anything. I'm all for having students say it, though. But the shouldn't have to if they don't want to.

sure why not...didnt hurt the first 600 million of us

no i think u shouldnt have to say it.

One thing for sure. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patric Henry would never have said that silly Pledge. For these men, their word meant something and they didn't just blindly go making promises without thinking about what they were saying.

Does anyone think it would be a good idea to force children to pledge allegiance to the flag of their home state? Would that too make them good citizens?

Even when I was in school I was wondering why the school felt we needed to pledge allegiance to anything. And we had to sing the Star Spangled Banner! You know how many people can't hit that high note? ugh. Silly business and doesn't belong in school. Propaganda. Wasn't it started during the Cold War?

You folks need to look around and notice that you are lying to yourselves. The USA is in fact one of the LEAST free countries in the world. The legislature tells you whether you are allowed to drive, your car has to carry a tag indicating permission to use it, you have to pay an arbitrary fee to state approved insurance companies, and there is a standing army of soldiers in blue or black uniforms to imprison you if you fail to meet all the requirements. You have to have permission from the government to build a fence around your own house. The price of your food is set by federal law. Your children are sent to a prison every morning, guarded by soldiers, threatened constantly if they misbehave, and they learn nonsense, and there is nothing you can do about it. If you want to go someplace on an airplane you have to submit to a band of goons inspecting your underwear and poking through your luggage, in blatant violation of the fifth amendment, and when people have sued, the courts have told them to suck it up. And you call your land free? You poor deluded fools.

No, they are brain washed enough anyway from other sources. If they desire to pray to a piece of red white and blue cloth they should do what their conscience says. I for one do not say any pledge to any flag or country.

you dont have much choice if they make you say it, they do this at the senior center near where i live, i get shy so i go in the other rm and come back when theyre done

only if you're an American.

No, absolutely not. It is no different than religious indoctrination. It is a chant that a grown adult can recite if they see fit, but it should not, under ANY circumstances be required of a child.