I Am An American

The problem with American and our society is that it needs something like september 11th to unite americans. Well, here is what I say.. WE SHOULD BE UNITED AND STAND TOGETHER NO MATTER WHAT. :)

Also, personally I think that Negative, who made a great post, Is a great person. He isn't in this country, yet his respect and knowledge of it is bigger than most people in this country. It is people like me, Negative, p2p, and almost EVERYONE who posted in this thread, that we dont need tragedy to show patriotism. We show it no matter what. That's the way it should be!

Well all I have to say is. I have recieved a lot of negative feedback on this subject. But, I will not back down from my stance. Freedom of speech has nothing to do with it. I am all for freedom of speech. I don't think people should be forced to pray either. Every American should and does have the right to worship as they wish. For you nay sayers that don't like my stance. Well, I do understand the court rulings. I think it sucks. The pledge is fundamental to me as well it should be to every American regardless of thier religion or lack there of. Next thing we will have to take down our flag because it offends someone or put a politicaly correct statement on our money so someone won't be offended. For instance, If you were English would you want them to not sing "God Save Our King" (aka My country tis of thee) or not open parliment with "God Save the Queen"? Noooo, I should think not. Everyone in my family has served this country in some form or another as well as myself. Some have lost their lives doing so. Many Americans have for the same principal. The pledge is a show of respect to those that founded, lived and died for this great country. People in a lot of far off lands bitch and whine about the US. But, when they are in trouble. Who do they call on? They call on the US. Americans don't just die for Americans to be free. THEY DIE FOR ALL PEOPLE TO BE FREE. So I will not back down from my stance on the pledge. So, when I say the pledge. I place my hand over my heart and proudly state my allegance to my flag and my country. I honor those who have fallen for me to be free and for other in other lands to be free. SO I STILL SAY, I AM AN AMERICAN AND I PLEDGE MY ALLEGANCE TO MY GOD, MY FLAG AND MY COUNTRY. For those that wish to put me down for this. I say do it. I don't care, it will not change my mind or make me think different. For you Americans that slam me for this. You should be ashamed. Show some respect for your country and those that have died for you to be free. So, again I say.

I AM AN AMERICAN AND I PLEDGE MY ALLEGANCE............AND I AM DAMN PROUD OF IT.

For those of you that said I have blown this out of proportion. I say to you. Go to Arlington National Cemetary or The Wall in DC and look at the names in place there. Then look up thier families and go tell them you don't like the pledge a won't show thier loved ones the respect they deserve. As I said before. If you don't like your freedoms in this country and can't show a little respect. Well LEAVE. It is a FREE country to do so.....................

Right On P2P you hit the the thing, it is this pledge our show of respect for our own elders their way of life. As any life it is not perfect but it has great honory and humility and like you I'll stand beside you not back down on the issue. Common sense this country is not about what one person believes it is about what as a collective enity we all believe. These people that run around and want the US to be their way impose upon the Majority their minoroty way. What did this man fear, must the entire US bow to this man because he is offended. What prey tell might happen if I were to bring suit to him for infringing upon what I believe, well maybe we should who the hell is he? A looser that has his 15 minutes of fame and like so many now days undermine so many ways and laws. The world this US is not all I want and I have to take some things I do not like but I know in doing so it benefits everyone including myself. Freedom has never meant the US has to be your flavor write a note excuse your child from the pledge it is a right as a parent, do not impose upon all children you single right. Will stand with P2P and take any negs...I know he as I do one thing many here cannot do or will not take time to do we VOTE, do public, community service, don't whine about what is screwed up but do what ever little we can to make it a bit better.

I was a bit bemused by this entire situation personally.

When I attended my college graduation, and we rose for the Nation Anthem, I rose and I took my cap off. In high school when we stood to say the pledge, I stood and I said it.

I didn't say it because I love this country. I didn't say it because I love our goverment, hell I -fear- our government. I didn't say it because I had to, or was under any kind of pressure to.

I said the Pledge, I stand for the Anthem because I have the right not to. I have the right in this country to stand on my head and sing Yankee Doodle Dandee in the middle of the Pledge if I really want to. I have the right to think, to believe and more importantly to say that I think our goverment is a corrupt, power hungry useless waste of oxygen. I can say all of that knowing that my family isn't going to be harassed, and that I'm not going to "disappear".

-That- is why I stand.

I stand, because I don't have to.

I pledge my allegance, I am an American.

-Keisha

100% Agree!

We need more patriotism and less BS from these freaks that think their rights are being taken away. I like the previous post on An American is: That's so true.

Seems lately in the news many folks are crying about how these poor prisoner of war have it so tough. How they can't get a fair trial etc...


Hey, here's a novel idea. As Americans let's unite against these psychos and show some good old American balls that we have all through out our short 200+ years as a country. GOD help us, because if I were president there would be a HUGE mushroom cloud over most of the middleast and parts of central Asia.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Here's another thought about "GOD" and our seperation of church and state. First of all - I think as do all great writtings, the meaning of the original words may change over time. Seperation of church and state was in response to state run religious organizations. Example... ROME was greatly influenced by the church. As was most countries in Europe (now to get some hate mail from our European friends). Our consitution never says anything to the detail of this other than freedom to choose.

By the way are we not being bombed, killed, threatend etc in the name of GOD (Allah). By another group of folks?

Maybe it's getting a little late and I am just tired enough to not really make sense.

I am an *fart* <burp> american </burp> *fart* . phew...now that that is over with.....I think the point has been over looked.

/me steals the soapbox and runs away

Wow, I see a lot of people have COMPLETELY missed the point of Negative's post...

You still have the choice to recite the pledge of allegiance, however, what the judge is saying is that the words under god (which were in fact, added some 50 years ago, well after the pledge of allegiance itself was created, as Neg pointed out) go against the tenets of Separation of Church and State.

And some of you people who claim you fight for freedom of speech and expression turn around in the same breath and condemn people who find the enforcement of a religion upon them as idiots. And THEN, you go on to say how you'd bomb other people basically because they disagree with US foreign policy. Great idea there guys, bomb the **** out of the middle east, kill countless thousands of people who had nothing to do with 09/11, all in the name of vengeance.

And now that someone points out that an amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance by Congress in the 50's violates the Separation of Church and State, and everyone gets all offended? Nobody is taking it away from you, if you read the article, it even states that the decision was put on hold. So why all the attention now?

As other have stated, it wasn't all that common for people to fly their flags until September 11th, and then all of a sudden everyone had flags out... I have always had a Canadian flag because I am proud of the country and the ideals it symbolizes. How come more Americans weren't flying flags BEFORE September 11th? Were you not proud of your country until it was attacked by a foreign nation?

I honestly don't get it.

As I see it, the Pledge of Allegiance is not that fantastic a deal, it's optional to say it in schools as is (as I understand it), and it was, as Negative pointed out, created to sell American flags. If you take it to mean something special, that's great, but I don't see why you should immediately attack people who don't see it as such.

Just my $0.02 Canadian.

Point taken from the Great White North, love your country and people and in many ways you lets us do all the work take the best and incorprate it. You are not however American and well the pledge is sort of like the Queen Mother visiting and dissing her and a few up in your parts did though Tony did OK. Americains as a nation and you cannot take expressions here as a bellweather of this nation but I as an American can say we don't wish to nuke anyone, though now days cannot say for other countries. We Vote and forign policy is often out of our hands as much as it is with any other nation and their leaders, that Securoty thing ya know.

So simple fact your .02 worth american is about 1/4 cent, lets see what was the Euro today? Humm can go off on a vacation get 52 to one american buck. Why is it you all hate us but love our money?

Wow.. Im very sorry, but I feel it is really f**ked that people are giving negative points to people who are in full support of our nation. People like that should not even be in this thread if you think you dont like our country. As I stated before, if you dont like our country, Get THE F OUT!

I wouldn't consider america a free country...
- I can get prosecuted for saying an 'offensive word' in public - freedom of speech is bullshit, it doesnt exist, at least not in the USA. If I go exercise my so called "freedom of speech" and say 'Im gonna bomb my school' then i get in ****.
- If I talk too loud in public no matter what i'm saying, I can get disturbing the peace.
- I cant go on the highway (which my tax dollars paid for) and drive 120 mph if i want.
- I didnt vote for taxes
- I didnt vote to send our troops to die in 3rd world countries just so we can try to keep the peace and help everyone
Thus I quote Jello Biafra - "if voting changed anything, it would be illegal"

- I cant grow marijuana even tho it is a god made herb.

america is not a free country