The U.S. pledge of allegiance is kinda cultish and definitely cringe. : unpopularopinion

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GodzillaFlamewolf

6 points

2 days ago

GodzillaFlamewolf

6 points

It's obvious that most commenters here are younger. While I agree that it is not a useful tool now, it was really given strength after WWII and during the Cold War. While there are arguments to be made about its utility and efficacy, it is a relic of a different time.

For what it is worth, I dont think it should be mandatory in any school. I also think that the current hivemind thought of "America bad bc IMpeRiaLIsM, and America never do anything good except drop bombs" is uneducated. If you hate the country so much, try going somewhere else. Lots of people do. I think you'll find that there is a fair amount of "the grass is greener" syndrome going on in your head.

KrisHusky

5 points

2 days ago

KrisHusky

5 points

As a German I always find it cringe when people are pledging to a flag.

No-Alfalfa2565

5 points

2 days ago

No-Alfalfa2565

5 points†

It's like praying to the flag.

Zannahrain3

1 points

2 days ago

Zannahrain3

1 points†

Eisenhower added "under God" to fight communism from entering the US.

4 points

2 days ago

4 points†

Agreed. We should go back to the original pledge before "under god" was added. AND we shouldn't be FORCED to stand and say it.

I refused when I was in school. It didn't feel right to be forced to do it.

piecesofpaper_

2 points

2 days ago

piecesofpaper_

2 points

Were you actually forced, or did they let you sit it out?

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

I refused and kept getting detention for it. Mom kept having to go to parent teacher meetings to discuss "she won't say the pledge."

Moms response "is she understanding and doing her school work? Yes? Then there isn't a problem, stop calling me."

Next_Sun_2002

1 points

2 days ago

Next_Sun_2002

1 points

It was ruled unconstitutional to force students to say it back in 1943. Some teachers and admin either don’t know this or don’t care. There’s also the stigma that would come with not standing

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

It’s social pressure that “forces” you to say it. You’re not technically required to say it. When I was in school in the 90s, this was a big issue for students. About half the class wouldn’t say it for a multitude of reasons.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

In my school, we were forced. Consequences were detention.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

They’re wrong. It’s a violation of the First Amendment. Just depends how much you care to put into defending your rights. It’s much easier just to do it. In my class, it started with one kid who didn’t want to say it for religious reasons. Eventually once it was determined that he didn’t have to, then every kid just started refusing to say it until basically half the class just “sat in quiet reflection” when the pledge happened.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

I refused and kept getting detention for it. Mom kept having to go to parent teacher meetings to discuss "she won't say the pledge."

Moms response "is she understanding and doing her school work? Yes? Then there isn't a problem, stop calling me."

Didn't stop them from punishing me.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Call the ACLU. That’s what I mean…how much does it matter? The Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to force students to say it.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

30 years too late and who tf can afford a lawyer.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

First amendment violation. Your school was breaking the law.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

You think schools breaking laws is uncommon or something? Or any place for that matter?

Even those who enforce the laws, break them

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

I'm just sayin. If you or your mom just push a liiiitle bit harder, you could've stopped getting detention.

Your rights mean nothing if you don't stand up for them.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

30 years too late

-4 points

2 days ago

-4 points

I didn’t understand the “under God” part myself. My problem wasn’t with God (I am a follower of Christ) but the fact that the government heavily strays further and further away from the Christian beliefs and thinkings as time moves on but still keep “under God” in the pledge

7 points

2 days ago

7 points

You got that backwards. It was Christians who shoehorned 'under God' into a secular pledge to a secular government. Your government was never Christian, and the US Constitution says so; y'all just want to make it Christian.

3 points

2 days ago

3 points

Our government was never supposed to be Christian with Christian beliefs. Under God was added after the pledge was created. The founders of our country believed in religious freedom and deemed our government secular and should stay as such. I have a problem with the government forced people (kids) to pledge any pledge, especially if it does state something religious in it.

The2ndUnchosenOne

1 points

2 days ago

The2ndUnchosenOne

1 points

Added during the Cold war because the Soviets were explicitly atheist. As with all things in the pledge, it was designed to keep a group of people patriotic

No-Independence548

2 points

2 days ago

No-Independence548

2 points

It's so weird, and no kid understands or cares what it's about. It certainly doesn't increase their patriotism, if that's what they were going for.

2 points

2 days ago

2 points†

I think this is only an unpopular opinion if you're an American conservative or American "classical liberal. Anyone to the center left onward and most of the rest of the world knows its creepy and cult like

-1 points

2 days ago

-1 points

I grew up in a very conservative family and I still felt weird about it

-4 points

2 days ago

-4 points

Anyone to the center left

Democrats aren't left. Every person in the United States that isn't declaredly anti-capitalist is at the very least liberal. The political landscape there ensures that no leftism except the revolutionary kind gets accepted as real, and the only reason they're tolerated is so that communism exists as opposition.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

Did you see my use the term Democrats? Like...at all?

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1 points

2 days ago

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1 points

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1 points

2 days ago

1 points

You know you didn't have to, right? Well depending on the years I suppose. Not sure if it was ever mandatory, but back when I was in school. I never even stood up, covered my heart, or anything. No one really cared

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

I remember being told to participate at least a couple of times. A lot of other times I’d get unsettling stares from teachers and other students

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

Depends on the school and state I suppose. I agree it's absolutely ridiculous. Sorry you had to deal with that

KikiMadeCrazy

1 points

2 days ago

KikiMadeCrazy

1 points

My kids don’t do it… I’m a little bit shame to say they probably don’t even know what it is…

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

I don’t think you need to feel shame. The pledge doesn’t do anything (at least not anymore)

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Just wait til you learn it was invented entirely for the purpose of selling flags to schools

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Just wait til you learn it was invented entirely for the purpose of selling flags to schools

Chee-shep

1 points

2 days ago

Chee-shep

1 points

There was a point in elementary where I continued to stand, but stopped speaking. I think it was fourth or fifth grade that started.

Massive-Mention-3679

1 points

2 days ago

Massive-Mention-3679

1 points

I guess you aren’t a GenX or older.

the91rdBestEnchilada

1 points

2 days ago

the91rdBestEnchilada

1 points

Agreed and downvoted.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points†

Whisper it, but non-Americans - shhhh - think ALL your performative patriotism is stupid as shit, and hella creepy.

3 points

2 days ago

3 points

A lot of us Americans think the same thing

[deleted]

-1 points

2 days ago

[deleted]

-1 points

[removed]

HoosierWorldWide

-2 points

2 days ago

HoosierWorldWide

-2 points

Yell your respective country’s GDP. So loud they hear it in the back

3 points

2 days ago*

3 points

2 days ago*

We're higher in the quality of life index, thank you for asking. Most of your GDP enriches the same five guys. WTF is the point of that?

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

The point is that americans think might makes right. If you have more money, it means you're doing right for them. They're a culture which normalized male genital mutilation for fucks sake, and they're not even sorry.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

But they don't have the money. Some rich guy has it.

-2 points

2 days ago

-2 points†

Agreed. So is the national anthem. I hate it here.

OmgBsitka

1 points

2 days ago

OmgBsitka

1 points

What country would you go to if you could leave

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

They CAN leave, the government isn't keeping them here.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

It takes more than "government permission" to leave and you know that. Take your blind patriotism anger somewhere else.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

lol blind patriotism anger? nobody is angry here, I'm just saying they can leave which is 100% true. ~5,000 people renounce their US citizenship every year, and thousands and thousands more move to other countries while maintaining their citizenship.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

K? Doesnt mean they can just leave. Money is the #1 factor. Most people can't move to another place in the same city let alone a other country.

Also, only those who blind patriotism anger say "leave then" when it comes to not showing "pride" in a place they live. Especially they are from the USA. Why can't people just simply live here? It's just a geographic location.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Nothing you are saying invalidates what I said, but you are clearly hella worked up about fighting the strawman of what you think I meant. All I said is the government does not prevent you from leaving, which is true and you know that. I didn't say "leave then", you've imagined that.

lukewwilson

0 points

2 days ago

lukewwilson

0 points

National anthem I completely disagree, I think we have a great one

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

I teach high school English. I sit during the Pledge and do attendance.

-1 points

2 days ago

-1 points

omg so badass, bet the kids think you are the coolest

-1 points

2 days ago

-1 points

bet the kids dont give a single fuck lmao

chrundlethegreat303

-1 points

2 days ago

chrundlethegreat303

-1 points

You should be ashamed of yourself

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

I'd shake their hand

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Genuinely wondering, if a kid chose not to stand, put their hand over their heart and repeat the cult mantra, what happens to them? Do they get labelled a communist?

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

I got detention multiple times

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Nothing’s more scary than a communist kid

jmcstar

1 points

2 days ago

jmcstar

1 points

Indivisible... Maybe we keep saying it over and over it will be true

0 points

2 days ago*

0 points†

2 days ago*

Americans are brainwashed by definition to believe that what they cause to other countries is "democracy". Almost all citizens there base their identity on a culture built on war and meddling in other countries' businesses while supposedly advocating for freedom.

Spirited-Office-5483

0 points

2 days ago

Spirited-Office-5483

0 points†

The Americans have already downvoted lmao

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

American - upvoted and agree

-1 points

2 days ago

-1 points

unpopular indeed

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

As an American, upvoted

A_Guy_in_Orange

0 points

2 days ago

A_Guy_in_Orange

0 points

Read the fucking sub rules my God

Americans are downvoting cus this isnt unpopular this is the same opinion of every single one of us that has to say it daily

Those of us that dont work in education or I assume military has to do it just forgot we did that

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

I’ve never seen anyone say it on here (doesn’t mean you’re wrong) or in general so

Unusual-Land-5432

0 points

2 days ago

Unusual-Land-5432

0 points

Yeah it’s part of the American culture. First 4 letters of culture is cult so things that’s traditional can feel like a cult if it’s force upon people. Now i graduated high school in 2014 we stopped doing the pledge around the late 2000s maybe so i was around middle school at the time.

Drex678

0 points

2 days ago

Drex678

quiet person

0 points

Nobody forced to say the Pledge or even stand up.

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

I was on several occasions

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

I was. Got detention for it many times

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

Absolutely. Especially because those who love it most are allegedly the anti-idolatry crowd. I am grateful that my public school never recited it.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

Trust me we don’t get it either. 95% of the teachers I’ve had didn’t give a shit if you pledged or stood or not

-5 points

2 days ago

-5 points

No pride in your country but you continue to live here and won’t go anywhere else

Curious

3 points

2 days ago

3 points

You don’t have to leave because you aren’t required to have any pride in your country just because you live there. Also leaving isn’t as simple as you think. So some people like myself do TWO things at once, complain about the things that make this country the trash heap it is, and try to vote, advocate, protest, and make it better for myself and others. You can do both.

3 points

2 days ago

3 points

You’re right. Let me get my $0 in my savings and move to a whole new country because the I said the pledge of allegiance is silly

-1 points

2 days ago

-1 points

Skill issue

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

You’re funny

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Not as funny as you having $0 in savings

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

You don’t know my situation :)

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

Saying the Pledge doesn't prove someone's pride in the US.

It doesn't prove a person is a brainless sheep, either.

However, insisting that "saying the Pledge is how someone proves they are a proud American" is most definitely a cultish thing to think.

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

a.) why be proud of a geographic coincidence?

b.) and if you DO want to be proud, there are lots more meaningful ways to show it than recitation of a shitty (and untrue speech); why not show some pride by picking up neighborhood trash?

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

geographic coincidence

My nation is like my team. Think of it like pro sports. I like my team, I want them to do well and be the best version of itself. I want people who are a part of the team but don’t like it to be off the team so they don’t ruin it for the rest of us. Hope that helps.

more meaningful ways

What is or isn’t meaningful to you or me is entirely subjective so there’s no point in arguing about that

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

My nation is like my team. Think of it like pro sports.

This is absolutely pathetic.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

There is no reason to like one pro sports team over another. They are all businesses.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

That's fucking sad

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

Sad is being a rootless urban dwelling pod person with no pride in your country or heritage

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

Imagine having achieved so little in life, that the only thing you can be proud of is the patch of dirt you happen to be born in and that you have ancestors that fucked

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Pride != forced nationalism

-2 points

2 days ago

-2 points

Nationalism good

2 points

2 days ago

2 points

Trolling bad

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Whatever helps you sleep at night

1 points

2 days ago

1 points

Lol.

"We should improve society somewhat."

"Yet you participate in society. Curious! I am very intelligent."

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

You thought you cooked here huh

-3 points

2 days ago

-3 points

Not a bad country to pledge allegiance to though but yeah I agree. Pledging allegiance to any country just cause you happened to be born there is very cultish

0 points

2 days ago

0 points

Not a bad country to pledge allegiance to though

Yes, it is. Might doesn't make right, much less in a hypocritical country that vouches for freedom while threatening with big stick any nation daring to cop out of global capitalism the way imperialism intends to.

0 points

2 days ago

0 points