You're correct, still doesn't change anything

The American flag is a banner/symbol!

A banner that is lifted high for all to see, that they might forever be reminded of an honorable purpose.

The flag is a symbol that represents a pact or an agree between a people/nation.

Hand-over-chest represents the dearness of one's commitment to the cause.


Much like marriage vows.

Some couples hold hands and repeat their original vows before one another and witnesses.
Therefore showing that they are still committed to the original promise/agreement...of caring for and protecting one another.

Usually the purpose is specified in the pledge dialogue.

The Christian faith does not require anyone to pledge allegiance to a nation's flag or to a nation.

no more than pledging allegiance to an object is over dramatacizing,,,but it should be the individuals prerogative to do so,, as it should be to choose not to

relevance please?

first of all , burning an item is a choice to make a specific EFFORT TO DESTROY It,, that would be different than choosing not to believe it or not to read it

for someone to burn a bible or a flag, if it is their own

is also their prerogative,, and I don't take I personal so much as it reveals to me that they don't share the sentiment about that ITEM that I do,,,,

no, I don't feel personally disrespected ,I feel they exercise their right to not revere that particular item or to even have disdain for it

I would not burn a flag,, that is different than choosing not to make a pledge to one,,,

\\


lol , well I Never posted that the 'flag represents nothing but idolatry'

my point, in fact, was that pledging allegiance to any ITEM, including the flag, feels like a form of idolatry to me


as for what that flag meant,, well if it was a 'symbl' for he confederacy,, I guess it represented states rights to slaves


confederate constitution Article IV

Section 2 - State citizens, Extradition


1. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States; and shall have the right of transit and sojourn in any State of this Confederacy, with their slaves and other property; and the right of property in said slaves shall not be thereby impaired.





we all can pledge loyalty to whatever 'symbolic' meanings we choose though,,,

I think the bigger question is who erred....The child for not "obeying" the teacher or the teacher for using force? ...Diversity does not come without extenuating circumstances which require flexibility ...I'm willing to bet our forefathers did not anticipate every single issue that might pop up for the next, oh, I don't know, lets say three or four decades....

For teachers who wish to begin their classroom studies with the "Pledge of Allegiance" I say great and I would instruct my child to participate accordingly ( by standing and placing his hand over his heart)...IMO, those children who have been instructed by their parents to refrain should not be forced...

absolutely,,my daughter does not have to participate although she is not to be disruptive

one day I hop we get past the antiquated tradition of symbolism and actually just say a pledge to uphold certain STANDARDS as a us citizen,, the way a dr pledges to do no harm or an officer pledges t protect and serve, instead of making a pledge to a flag,,

but, that's probably not happening soon,,,

To some people, our flag is more than just fabric and thread, a mere object to be idolized.

It is not just a piece of cloth draped over my dad's coffin to be folded neatly in a triangle and then handed to my grieving mother with dignity and respect.

It is not just a product of the textile industry that flaps high above the graves of the soldiers that have fought and died for what that flag represents.

It's not just some object that I pledged allegiance to each morning as a child or that I behold with awe and respect when I rise and remove my hat and hear our national anthem played at a hockey or baseball game.

I honor our flag not as an object. It's so much more than that to many of us and to disrespect our flag or fail to give it the reverence it deserves is just utterly sad in my opinion.

that is certainly your prerogative

items and symbolism don't get my reverence,, people do, actions do,

plain and simple,,,

Your right Misswright, but what is far sadder is the child who is caught in the middle and forced to defy one person of authority in order to obey another....You are an adult, you get to choose....

children don't really 'choose' either way, they are indoctrinated from a young age into a ceremony,, that's nothing to do with their choice as much as a cultural expectation

parents should feel the right for their expectations to trump that of the 'culture',,,

Culturally speaking, I agree...as long as it does not interrupt or interfere with the teacher's ability to "teach" required classroom curriculum...

man, I need sleep,, morning already,, this isn't good,,,lol

heck,you all got worries!

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/10/switzerland-muslim-advocacy-group-calls-for-less-offensive-flag.html

Switzerland: Mostly-Muslim advocacy group calls for less "offensive" flag

As described below, this arrogant move comes amid a larger climate of legal jihad aimed at making Switzerland stop being Switzerland, all while saying it's the Swiss thing to do. "Immigrants Want Cross Removed from Swiss Flag," by Soeren Kern for Hudson NY, September 26 (thanks to JS):

An immigrant group based in Bern has called for the emblematic white cross to be removed from the Swiss national flag because as a Christian symbol it "no longer corresponds to today's multicultural Switzerland."

Ivica Petrusic, the vice president of Second@s Plus, a lobbying group that represents mostly Muslim second-generation foreigners in Switzerland (who colloquially are known as secondos) says the group will launch a nationwide campaign in October to ask Swiss citizens to consider adopting a flag that is less offensive to Muslim immigrants.

Switzerland isn't forcing people to go live there if the flag offends them.

In a September 18 interview with the Swiss newspaper Aargauer Zeitung, Petrusic said the cross has a Christian background and while the Christian roots of Switzerland should be respected, "it is necessary to separate church and state" because "Switzerland today has a great religious and cultural diversity. One has to ask if the State wants to continue building up a symbol in which many people no longer believe."

In the interview, Petrusic said Switzerland needs new symbols with which everyone, including non-Christians, can identify. As an alternative to the current Swiss flag (see image here), Petrusic proposed the former flag of the Helvetic Republic (see image here) which was officially introduced in 1799 and consisted of green, red and yellow colors. "Those colors are similar to the current flags of Bolivia and Ghana and would represent a more progressive and open-minded Switzerland," Petrusic said.

The proposal to change the Swiss flag has been met with outrage across the political spectrum and is sure to fuel anti-immigrant sentiments in Switzerland.

Sylvia Fl�ckiger a councillor with the conservative Swiss People's Party (SVP) said the demands are: "Totally unacceptable. With our Swiss flag there is nothing to change. The next thing you know, they will demand even more, that we change our constitution."..............................

I give up............lol Trying to make you see the relevance is not worth it. Fine, don't pledge allegiance. I'll say it again. To some, that flag is more than a piece of cloth. It's a symbol of something many have died for fighting to make sure you had the right to choose NOT to pledge....

That's the point. People have a right to choose NOT to pledge.

Here is an excerpt from the story that the OP links to:

no, its not worth it,, Burning an item and choosing not to say an oath to it are apples and oranges

and I do willingly pledge to uphold the STANDARD of freedom of expression that many have died fighting for

and to appreciate it,,

People who are devout followers of a faith are going to believe one way.

People with no devotion to a faith are going to believe another way.

Respecting the freedom to have different beliefs is the American way, right?