Comments on: Live and learn, under God

By: Jill

Jill — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

By: Gunther

Gunther — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I wonder how many people I’m aggravating

Not me. On the contrary.

By: Francois Lachance

Francois Lachance — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

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.

By: Cam Fraser

Cam Fraser — Tue, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

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.