S Folinsky

FWIW, when I was in junior high and high school, the school day started out with the "To The Colors" bugle call over the PA followed by the Pledge. The end of the school day had "Retreat" sounded. This had been eliminated by the time my kids were in middle and high school.

When I was in the Army, the end of the work day was signaled by Retreat followed by To The Colors.
At the sound of Retreat everyone was required to come to attention and face the colors. Upon the sounding of To The Colors, a salute was to be rendered while the call was in progress. At the sound of Retreat, all cars & trucks were required to stop and the driver exit and come to attention facing the colors. The passengers were allowed to remain in the vehicle.

Bob

It's either, they're both a sign of respect.

scrubbedexpat099

Just like being in Church, stand up and be respectful.

DeltaSierra70

Unless you're scratching your nuts at the time.
As mentioned in another thread, an old Brit friend of mine taught me to recite nursery rhymes.

HarryTheSpider

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMENQeCbxfI

Go about 1 min 20 seconds in...

Magic, individual, respectful, and very American I think...

Cheers

HTS

kimilseung

I don't mind this shit when it is appropriate, but it is not appropriate in school; and I do not go to church for anything other than weddings and funerals, but I have to ask what the relevance is for the pledge to be said in any church.

nethead

God is obviously American!

SultanOfSwing

Then he really likes irony

DeltaSierra70

When I hear "God Bless America" spoken I add "And F**k everybody else!"
Then ask, "Why not 'God Bless Humanity' and you lot not be so damned selfish?" I also explain if a Brit says it, they are just taking the piss.

SultanOfSwing

Why not 'America; leave God alone'?

kimilseung

Michael Moore might be a bit of a self publicist, but I might be able to go with his revised pledge.
"I pledge allegiance to the people of the United States of America / and to the republic for which we stand / one nation, part of one world / with liberty and justice for all."

SultanOfSwing

I'll be hanged at dawn for even thinking this; but why do we need a pledge at all?

kimilseung

Quite.
Its anti-family, Bellamy wrote it at a time of high immigration, and he did not want the new generation having associations with their parents home lands.

SultanOfSwing

How ironic that all the current generation seems to do is bang on about theirs

Sally Redux

We used to pledge and sing a patriotic song at the meetings of the charity I belong to.

I used to feel a little uncomfortable about it but said nothing. Then one day, someone started My Country 'Tis of Thee very high and it really sounded terrible. One of the women turned to me and said, "Do you have this crap in your country?" Shortly afterwards we voted unanimously to drop it. It turns out it had been instigated by a woman of Greek origin who wanted to be fiercely patriotic.