So, I didn’t actually know that the words “Under God” weren’t put into the U.S. pledge of allegiance until 1954, when America was fighting godless Commies. I find this as hilarious as the present blind enforcement of the phrase’s repetition is idiotic.
Who are you to make me pledge allegiance to your god?!
In high school, at first I thought it was kind of cool to participate in recitations of this sort. After all, I’d just arrived fresh out of the USSR, where vocal pronouncements of solidarity and loyalty to the State weren’t exactly a rarity. As I got older and started thinking for myself a little more, though, it seemed distasteful to have to say “under God.” This is around 1992-3 we’re talking about, Clinton was president, people were a lot more relaxed, and I’d just moved to southern California, where (especially compared to Queens, New York) nobody seemed to ever raise their voice above speaking level. My teachers gave us quite a bit of freedom on this one, saying we didn’t have to recite the pledge at all, but could mouth it or just stand there with our hands over our hearts, facing the flag.
I had my problems with facing the flag as a daily exercise, too, but wasn’t going to fight this particular battle.
Anyway, yes. “Under God” in the pledge of allegiance, and the forced daily recital of the pledge of allegiance, is stupid. It’s not going to get you any thinking person’s loyalty. It stinks of propaganda: “Look at us! We’re good Christians! WE are not mindless ROBOTS who want to take away everyone’s MONEY! Oh, and by the way, you should praise our god.” Spare me, will you? You’ve already made me renounce my godless ways in favor of The Flag whose purpose and ideals of religious and other freedoms you are corrupting. You get my loyalty, and my taxes – for now, anyway; I’m not at all sure I want to while away the rest of my days in the U.S. You made my mother wait over a year longer than the rest of us to get her citizenship, because her line of work back in the old country required inscription to the Party ranks. Over a year. In 1998. Paranoid bunch of…
In other news, I notice that political ranting is becoming a favorite use for this blog. I wonder how many people I’m aggravating.
I had my first experience of standing among a roomful of standing Americans and listening to the national anthem last week. I hadn’t known about the hand-on-heart thing, and was quite fascinated to note how many hands were on hearts – and how many hands were folded in what in Lutheran Norway looks like a prayer gesture, but perhaps in the national anthem context it’s a quiet rebellion?
Norway no doubt seems amazingly nationalistic sometimes – on May 17, independence day, flags are everywhere. I’m used to these displays though and know they don’t mean that much. We never *listen* to the national anthem. We sing it – once a year, on May 17. We certainly don’t have daily pledges, and hands are never on hearts.
Perhaps if done daily a pledge means less?
Not sure where that logic comes from. The pledge and hand on heart thing’d be less special to someone who’s done it daily, anyway, than it seems to me as an outsider.
I wonder how many people I’m aggravating
Not me. On the contrary.
Hmmmm, it seems by Jill’s logic daily blogging would become less meaningful. Well not quite to pledge and to blog are not the same type of activity even if they share the property of being done on a daily basis.
Vika, through your usuage, I learnt that aggravate doesn’t always mean “to worsen”. It can also mean “to exasperate or irritate”. Which is not quite the same as a double take…
To recite something, anything, daily is to invite at times a double take. Likewise sometimes a yearly event invites participants to take stock and project themselves into the future.
To move the question from nationalism to a community of faith. I can recall that one of the vital questions asked at Passover is “Why is this Night Different from all Other Nights?” and a hope is expressed “Next year in Jerusalem”. The past and the future connect in a humanly meaningful way through the annual ritual. And the annual ritual is reflected in daily practices and weekly seders.
How is it that a “nationalism” can shuttle between the annual and the daily? I can imagine, in the American context, a teacher or instructor or any person moderating a gathering with words to the effect that in 1954 the phrase “under God” was added to the pledge of allegience … the simple statement of fact invites reflection. it introduces a perspective. And for each listener or group that perspective will differ. And then after countless repetitions the power of that simple statement of a date (1954) to demythologize will wane. And a new formula will be found to reinject thoughtfulness.
And you know those artists will build discursive objects round the theme of 1954…. just like Roland variations.
Well, I’m a Christian, and it doesn’t aggravate me.
I was reading about this yesterday, and I thought of you, for precisely the reason that you mentioned: you came from a godless, commie society! ;) Nice to hear your take on it.