You know I have never understood this bullshit.
HappyDood just walked into my study to inform me how stupid he thought the media was for banning the footage of excavation process in NY with all those gory pictures, while still showing the maimed Afghani's burying their children ! He said he was moved and so he switched off the TV. Shows how bad the American PR is.
I know they're trying to spare pain and anguish to those who lost loved ones in the tragedy, but they could have just shown the US bombings in Afghanistan too - couldn't they ?
Now about the oath of allegiance, i find this action another piece of bullshit. Michael Savage, although he's too communal for my tastes, discussed the suspension of the bus driver for putting up an American flag on his bus and offending the passengers.
What kind of bullshit is this ? I have American Flags on each of our cars. And we're not even American citizens, nor are we green card holders, so we're not even obliged to do it ! Having an American Flag isn't indicative of lost love for my own country...
If someone told my kid to take an Pledge of Christianity, by force, well I would be mad. I myself attended Catachism once <more under duress than anything>. That got my family mad. But voluntarily my daughter goes to church with her friends, wears the cross...and its okey. She is curious, she is experimenting, she'll find her own niche as soon as she figures out what is right and what is wrong. It doesn't bother me. I want her to adopt the good things - from any religion. And its ok too if she doesn't like mine.
If someone waved a flag of Christianity in my face <is there a flag of Christianity at all ?> well, wouldn't even bat an eyelid. I live in a state where most of the population is Christian and when they wave their religion in my face they're not saying "Your relgion is bad". They're simply saying "We love our religion" and until they SAY "Your religion is bad, thats what I continue to believe. Maybe I am obtuse, but I don't find that offensive at all, I'd grab another flag and wave it harder. After all, we celebrate X Mas and Thanksgiving more than we celebrate our own festivals, just as we celebrated Eid in Duabi. Its just happiness which floats around and touches you. One should share it. But, having said so, I suppose some may have reasons to balk at it.....but balking at the pledge of allegiance for a country one is a citizen of, no matter what the ethnicity... Well....its utter bullshit.
My point is simple. I wish people were honest to themselves. If one doesn't feel patriotic, they shouldn't become citizens just because American citizenship is something which can get you thru the customs at the airport of every country without hassles and also get you social security when youre out of a job ! Thats not what it is all about.
Maybe they should just ask the students who object, to excuse themselves and go take some rest in the restrooms while the rest of the school is doing the national anthem...! <g> |
