Pledge of No Allegiance

[El Veto-Voter]

“I pledge no allegiance to any piece of cloth, or to any political organization for which it stands, nor will I accept the claim that any country is indivisible, because I understand that the purpose of government is to infringe on the liberty and justice for all.”

Is it un-patriotic to refuse to pledge allegiance to the flag? Yes.

Is it un-American to refuse to pledge allegiance to the flag? No.

Why do I refuse to pledge?

It is my assertion that being blindly patriotic is un-American. Taking any “pledge of allegiance” goes against the principles of freedom that the United States of America were founded upon.

The very first line “I pledge allegiance to the flag...” makes the promise that the pledger agrees to be a “liege”. A liege is a slave. Therefore pledging allegiance to anything or anybody goes against the principles of freedom.

A flag is an inanimate piece of cloth, a symbol of power and coercion. It cannot make decisions. It cannot give orders. Being a slave to a piece of cloth is such a silly notion that only constant brainwashing repetition can make it seem reasonable.

The phrase “... the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible...” is abhorrent to the original founding principles of America, because people should be free to separate or secede from any organization that they choose to leave. This phrase was written as an excuse for the northern states to force southern and western states to remain part of the union against their will. Its purpose is to enslave everybody by denying the right to secede.

The phrase “... under God...” was added during the Cold War as a claim that God is directing American foreign policy. This claim should be as abhorrent to believers in God as it is to non-believers. What sort of God would use military force to prop up some dictators while overthrowing others? What sort of God would bribe foreign leaders to do our bidding? What sort of God would condone the lying, stealing, killing and corruption that US foreign policy is based upon? This view of God makes him seem so weak that he has to rely on a huge military machine, with troops based all over the world, in order to force his will on the people of the earth. That certainly goes against the biblical vision of God controlling the universe.

The phrase “... with liberty and justice for all” is the final insult to the intelligence of the pledgers. How could one be expected to pledge to be a liege if there were liberty and justice for all? Being a slave to liberty is a ridiculous oxymoron.

Each person is either a slave or a free person. The “Pledge of Allegiance” was just one step in reducing the free people of America to serfdom.

As history has shown, and current events continue to prove, there is no “liberty and justice for all” under any form of government. There is liberty (special privilege) for certain lieges, and a perversion of justice that sometimes appears to work. But in reality the purpose of the nation-state is to protect the liege masters (privileged class) while ruling the lieges.

Does it seem bizarre that we are asked to pledge to be lieges as a way to safeguard our freedom?

So, I ask you to join with me in reciting the “Pledge of No Allegiance” whenever the myrmidons around you are reciting the un-American, but patriotic, “Pledge of Allegiance”. I also ask that you take those opportunities to educate those who mistakenly believe that reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” and other patriotic gobbledygook are supporting American liberty and justice.

This has been an Antidote to Brainwashing.

[sexobon]

Meh, the flag represents the country and ALL of its citizens. If you don't want to try to keep the country strong through unity; or, seek liberty and justice for all, then go ahead and be a dropout, take care of #1, don't worry about the others. You'll be doing the same thing as politicians who abuse power, just going about it a different way. Those who recite a pledge of allegiance are simply saying they're not going to let either the abusers; or, the dropouts deter or hinder them from their goals. You can run; but, for all your rhetoric you still can't hide from the fact that you're nothing more than a quitter. You'll never find enough others of your ilk to change that.

[Happy Monkey]

The very first line “I pledge allegiance to the flag...” makes the promise that the pledger agrees to be a “liege”. A liege is a slave. Therefore pledging allegiance to anything or anybody goes against the principles of freedom.

Huh, I had to look this up. I thought the liege was the lord, not the vassal (since I really only heard it in the context of vassals using it as an honorific - "my liege").

Apparently it's both, it's an auto-antonym, like 'cleave'.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by sexobon

Meh, the flag represents the country and ALL of its citizens. If you don't want to try to keep the country strong through unity; or, seek liberty and justice for all, then go ahead and be a dropout, take care of #1, don't worry about the others. You'll be doing the same thing as politicians who abuse power, just going about it a different way. Those who recite a pledge of allegiance are simply saying they're not going to let either the abusers; or, the dropouts deter or hinder them from their goals. You can run; but, for all your rhetoric you still can't hide from the fact that you're nothing more than a quitter. You'll never find enough others of your ilk to change that.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[Undertoad]

Rather than pledge allegiance to a symbol, I will pledge allegiance to the Constitution.

It actually tells us that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, so the addition to the Pledge made by US Congress in 1954 is unconstitutional.

[Gravdigr]

I'll pledge allegiance to a symbol, a cymbal, or a fucking snare drum if it represents The United States of America, as does our flag, because that's what I'm pledging my allegiance to.

[John Sellers]

Whether or not one chooses to pledge allegiance to anything is an exorcise in one's own Free Will.

Choice is the essence of freedom.

[Undertoad]

Grav, true enough, and I expect you would take the pre-1954 wording as acceptable. But at the same time as all this, let's notice that a "pledge" is basically the lowest level of demonstration of allegiance one can make.

People died for their country... volunteered their time and lives and whatnot... but *I* took... up to 30 seconds to repeat an official and popular statement!

[Clodfobble]

At my kids' school they say the US pledge of allegiance (simultaneously out loud and in sign language,) then the Texas pledge of allegiance, then the Texas pledge of allegiance in Spanish, and then they have a moment of silence. It takes for-fucking-ever.

[lumberjim]

Ye Scallywags will pledge allegiance to the Jolly Roger, or be walking the plank....

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

But at the same time as all this, let's notice that a "pledge" is basically the lowest level of demonstration of allegiance one can make.

'S cuz I'm a fat, lazy, Merka-loving bastidge.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

Ye Scallywags will pledge allegiance to the Jolly Roger, or be walking the plank....

First live band I ever heard was called Jolly Roger.

Ye scurvy dog.

[henry quirk]

I stand with, and defend, the Constitutional Republic of America.

[BigV]

Hey lumberjim,

Do you have a new dwellar quiz you can give this guy?

I'd like to know one more thing about him, in addition to the same thing over and over.

[lumberjim]

Who, Henry?

1. Ketchup or mustard on your hot dog?