Prayer doesn't deserve it, but the people do.

This is the paradox, if you are intimidated in to doing it, it really is not worth respecting at any level.

No they don't. Nobody deserves anything. They may earn it by not being preachy douchebags like some of their religious compatriots but you're not born deserving respect.

That's just another construct of the woolly, everyone's 'special' era of vomit inducing pap we live in.

I was being overly facetious for the most part. I don't think, on the whole, there is any intimidation but sometimes it's better to just quietly do something, rather than have to explain yourself o-v-e-r and o-v-e-r again, if you know what I mean.

I do, ..... but apparently HungryHorarse wants to discover it for himself!

Best of luck to him, then ...

I just don't want to (or feel) compelled to show 'respect' in certain situations such as when the national anthem / stars and stripes are bounded about like the situation described above (sports game where a soldier comes out to show how the Yanks took care of those nasty Iraqi's etc). I find the whole situation nauseating. I might add, I choose not to put myself in those situations for the most part.

NB: If i'm at an alumni dinner here, or a corporate / state event, then of course I will stand and show respect.

I would stand for the anthem (and would stand for any country's anthem).

But I would not stand for some commentator's history lesson.

The Canadians like to take credit for that.

Speaking for myself, it doesn't.

It's not a matter of "brainwashing," but of being polite. You can respect the customs of others without necessarily agreeing with them or even liking them.

Likewise, you can stand up for the anthem without supporting every US foreign policy initiative. The Pledge of Allegiance is to the country, not to the government. If you don't agree with it, then don't say it, but disrespecting it is another matter.

And if it makes you feel any better, the Pledge was the creation of a socialist during the late 19th century. It has nothing to do with the Iraq War, or for that matter, with any war in particular.

I can't remember who it was now, but someone on here said their Mum sang 'God Save the Queen' loudly over the top of the US anthem Different for a visitor I suppose.

So now we learn you apparently have principles that you're not afraid to display, .... unless they would hurt your credibility with your peers, associates, and superiors? ..... You had already gone done severely in my estimation today, but apparently you haven't reached the bottom of the barrel yet.

Ha ha, I stand corrected. i expected to be shocked rather than amused.

I cannot understand why we have to pledge at PTA meetings etc. To me it smacks of paranoia. Not all Americans are into it either. I was a member of a predominantly Jewish group who kept forcing the pledge at meetings, against a majority decision to drop it. One person told me it actually goes against the Jewish belief in not putting a country first (not sure if that's factually correct, but what I was told). There was a lot of graoning and "Oh God not again" last time I went to a school event as well.

Interpretation varies but in general Judaism teaches that the law of the land has primacy over Jewish law and you should respect and observe local laws.

I've had similar experiences at events like rodeo, baseball & NASCAR. I stand when everyone else stands out of respect, fold my hands in front of me (like The Queen, but without the handbag), and also adopt the vague and neutral expression mentioned by others. I don't sing because I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, and I don't know the words. Never been challenged or feel uncomfortable, but if I was I'd just explain in my very British accent that I was a visitor/resident and not a citizen.

If I was in the UK and an American visitor did the same as me, then I'd be happy that they were being repectful to their hosts. Where is do get uncomfortable is round some of the other patriotic ra-ra stuff going on which to my british sensibilities seem to be inappropriate at a sporting event. I just grit my teeth and think "when in Rome" etc until its over.

That's (pretty) much how I feel. The whole OTT patriotism thing is beyond nauseating.