NBC and the "Pledge of Allegiance"

[Father Heathen]

Well by now I am sure that most people have heard of NBC's blatant disregard of the Pledge Of Allegiance during the US Open Golf programing by purposely editing out "under God" not once but twice. NBC says that they apologize for the "regrettable" editing. Yeah right. As far as I am concerned it is time for heads to roll at NBC.

It's not an edit, but rather a reversion to the original version of the pledge before the 1954 edit that added "under God". So if anything it's more authentic and untainted.
Regardless, the pledge is nothing more than an unnecessary and archaic relic.

 

[Father Heathen]

I seriously doubt this was an accident. It looks very much like this was on purpose. And if so I feel this is disrespectful. Perhaps I'm just old-fashioned or spent too many years in the Corps but I take things like the flag, Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem, my country and other similar things very seriously.

Thank you for posting this, esmith.

I think it was disrespectful for them to add "under god" back in 1954 in the first place.

 

[Gunny]

Glad to see NBC apologized for their mistake. Hopefully they won't make the same one again and show more respect in the future.

 

[Draka]

Glad to see NBC apologized for their mistake. Hopefully they won't make the same one again and show more respect in the future.

You mean perhaps they'll insist that the Pledge be said the original way or not at all, that way there is no need to edit out what should not be there to begin with?

 

[Klaufi_Wodensson]

Having the pledge of allegiance recited every day in every school across America seems kind of like paranoia to me. Didn't Hitler do something similar?

The Pledge is simply unnecessary. Especially when young children recite it, because they have no idea what any of it means.

 

[gnomon]

Personally, I think pledging allegiance to a flag is ridiculous to begin with.

I agree. When asked if I was offended by NBC I say yes. Yes to the fact that the even had this nonsensical pledge to the open of a golf tournament.

To be truthful, I don't like golf either so I didn't really care.

But anyway, isn't the pledge a great example of propaganda.

 

[Revoltingest]

I agree. When asked if I was offended by NBC I say yes. Yes to the fact that the even had this nonsensical pledge to the open of a golf tournament.
To be truthful, I don't like golf either so I didn't really care.
But anyway, isn't the pledge a great example of propaganda.

Golf & the pledge of allegiance....they seem to be of equal usefulness.
Well, at least golf lets you beat a little ball senseless.

 

[Amill]

I've never really understood saying the pledge of allegiance or national anthem at mass gatherings(especially sporting events) anyways. Is it because in a large crowd people are more likely to go along with it in fear of being the odd one out?

Course a pledge of allegiance is silly to begin with.

 

[Klaufi_Wodensson]

I've never really understood saying the pledge of allegiance or national anthem at mass gatherings(especially sporting events) anyways. Is it because in a large crowd people are more likely to go along with it in fear of being the odd one out?

Course a pledge of allegiance is silly to begin with.

The National Anthem I get. It's the musical symbol of our Nation, so singing that or standing for that makes sense. The pledge is pointless. No other country has one (as far as I know.)

 

[gnomon]

National pledges are a rare thing. And as proof positive that one does not need a stupid pledge to instill patriotism/nationalism one only need look at....every nation that doesn't have one. Especially Ireland.

 

[blackout]

Personally, I think pledging allegiance to a flag is ridiculous to begin with.

I agree with that.

To which I would add that
I think pledging allegiance to almost ANYTHING
is ridiculous.
And probably unwise.

Allegiance-

Loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause

Why this need to "pledge".

Either someone/something HAS my allegiance or not
at any given moment.
This is of course subject to change.
(at any time, for whatever reason/s)
Which makes the idea of a pledge...




eh. just edit out the whole thing.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

My allegiance is earned, not coerced through ritualistic indoctrination.

 

[Many Sages One Truth]

This pledge thing just shows how into nationalism our country is. History shows that nationalism is always a tool used for control.

 

[Vansdad]

How sad and disrespectful it is to not show respect for the county you live in and the people who have sacrificed themselves for it. I'm not even American and I'm offended at the lack of respect. If you don't want to show allegiance to your flag and country you should just find somewhere else to live. To the men and women of Canada and the USA who have served for my benefit I am thankful to you all. It's time to show some respect. And if it offends people because the Pledge of Allegiance shows respect to God then that's too bad as well.

 

[Many Sages One Truth]

How sad and disrespectful it is to not show respect for the county you live in and the people who have sacrificed themselves for it. I'm not even American and I'm offended at the lack of respect. If you don't want to show allegiance to your flag and country you should just find somewhere else to live.

Sorry, but I don't see how pledging a flag is showing any real allegiance to your country. If you really want to show you love your country then do something good for your fellow countrymen.

And if it offends people because the Pledge of Allegiance shows respect to God then that's too bad as well.

Except that it was added to the pledge, and America is secular, not a religious nation.

 

[gnomon]

How sad and disrespectful it is to not show respect for the county you live in and the people who have sacrificed themselves for it. I'm not even American and I'm offended at the lack of respect. If you don't want to show allegiance to your flag and country you should just find somewhere else to live. To the men and women of Canada and the USA who have served for my benefit I am thankful to you all. It's time to show some respect. And if it offends people because the Pledge of Allegiance shows respect to God then that's too bad as well.

How does a pledge show respect to God?

The monotheistic religious, especially Christianity, eschewed respect to a nation precisely because respect was to be given to God. If anything, the Pledge of Allegiance in the US with the words under god are about as far removed from the historical roots of Christianity as one can get. Especially in light of US history.

 

[Revoltingest]

How sad and disrespectful it is to not show respect for the county you live in and the people who have sacrificed themselves for it. I'm not even American and I'm offended at the lack of respect.

Perhaps you don't understand what it is to be American for many. We have focus in our lives other than veneration of government, flag & country.
The recitation of a pledge doesn't further that cause at all.

If you don't want to show allegiance to your flag and country you should just find somewhere else to live.

Why? A flag is merely a symbol. I support ideals, not icons.
Were I a smart arse, I'd suggest that if you don't like what we post, you should find something else to read.

To the men and women of Canada and the USA who have served for my benefit I am thankful to you all. It's time to show some respect. And if it offends people because the Pledge of Allegiance shows respect to God then that's too bad as well.

You may be thankful all you wish, but to demand that we recite a loyalty oath is expecting too much.
Moreover, the religiosity is a propagandistic cold war relic...not the traditional pledge.

 

[Vansdad]

Sorry, but I don't see how pledging a flag is showing any real allegiance to your country. If you really want to show you love your country then do something good for your fellow countrymen.



Except that it was added to the pledge, and America is secular, not a religious nation.

It was founded as a Catholic/Christian nation. And if you want to show some respect to the men and women who have died for you then start with the flag, it's symbolic. Just like burning the flag is disrespectful.

 

[Draka]

It was founded as a Catholic/Christian nation.

No, it wasn't.

Source: History

 

[Father Heathen]

How sad and disrespectful it is to not show respect for the county you live in and the people who have sacrificed themselves for it. I'm not even American and I'm offended at the lack of respect. If you don't want to show allegiance to your flag and country you should just find somewhere else to live. To the men and women of Canada and the USA who have served for my benefit I am thankful to you all. It's time to show some respect. And if it offends people because the Pledge of Allegiance shows respect to God then that's too bad as well.

Idolizing some piece of cloth and going through the mindless motions of some silly rituals are not required to love ones own country. Embodying and upholding the values ones own country stands for (In America's case; rights, liberty and equality) is how one shows love for their country. No one should have to humor some arbitrary pledge (or the 1954 bastrdization thereof).

And America was never intended to be a theocracy, there is separation of church and state for a reason. Our founding fathers were deists who opposed religious tyranny.

History is your friend, brush up on it: http://ffrf.org/publications/nontracts/Is-America-A-Christian-Nation/