To Americans, How would it make you feel if you saw people sitting down or kneeling during the pledge of allegiance?

[Still-alive]

Eh its their choice. whatever

Angry! they shoud show more respect!

Annoyed but ultimately not a big deal

It should be against the law to sit during the pledge of allegiance!

I'd applaud them actually. good for them

I would have no thougths or feelings about them at all

I'd feel differently (say how!)

Updates

11 mo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMzIk2pUuNU&t=1s

[Wsx2wsx2ws]

Pledging allegiance is a serious matter.
Most just do it in words. I respect those that sit because they are making a conscious choice and not just following the crowd.
Its sad to see the same people who pledge this allegiance saying the words "under God", "and which it stand", "liberty and justice for all". Then forget all that, turn and hate and mistreat those that exercise that freedom you just pledged they could. And who just might not pledge because their allegiance is to God not a flag.
Not pledging allegiance is not a sign of disrespect. Not even a sign of disloyalty. Perhaps even more so a sign of loyalty.
Personally I don't trust anyone who just follows the crowd. We know Jesus was one who certainly didn't. No did he salute or pledge allegiance to any thing but his father.
And he cautioned against being judgmental. So if the "Under God" is in that pledge then God is higher than the flag.
Something to consider is all I am saying.

[Deathraider]

I personally do that. I don’t think there’s any other country which isn’t authoritarian that does that. It just comes off as a bit odd.

I don’t take pride in being an American or pledge my allegiance. In my view, a country doesn’t inherently get praise just because someone is born into it, it should act in such a way worthy of it.

[Wsx2wsx2ws]

Snap that last sentence says it all.

[DizzyDesii]

wouldn't care. Half the class stopped sayin the pledge in 2008 way before we even knew of the political stuff. We just didn't care to stand or say it half the time. Had nothing to do with the flag or the meaning. But one ex military teacher lost his shit and made us get up and do the pledge all over. He felt disrespected ig

[DizzyDesii]

I stand with l the Lord. I dont need to pledge allegiance to anything else

[JustiReno]

@DizzyDesii are you into the Bible or Bible history at all? I just recently read something about the “Flavian hypothesis” that was saying the Flavian dynasty of Rome (Titus Flavian burned down king Solomon’s temple, and later emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion) was wondering if you know anything of this time?

[DizzyDesii]

@JustiReno i am Christian but admit i haven't read the bible much

[SaoirseS]

Don’t know. Never have been to any event where the Pledge of Allegiance was spoken, not that I recall anyway.

[Still-alive]

Would you really care though? i feel like you wouldn't tbh

[SaoirseS]

It would depend on the occasion. Some people don’t know to act at solemn occasions. I imagine if someone didn’t want to stand it wouldn’t bother me as long as they stay quiet and still.

[WindAtMyBack]

I couldn't care less. It's a completely non-issue. I find it hard to believe that people make such a big deal out of it.

I don't care if they don't stand. I don't care if they take a knee. I don't care if they hang the flag upside down. I don't care if they burn the flag. It's not like they are hurting anything.

Protest and rebellion is what made this country (and a lot of other countries). For a country to be free and have true liberty, there MUST be protest and rebellion. Without it the whole thing will crumble.

[trumpets310]

I'll stand myself. But if someone is doing it to protest, they can do that (1st amendment is important and we should NOT make it illegal to kneel!). There are few socially approved ways to protest, so if someone chooses a way like this that doesn't physically harm anyone, that's fine.
The pledge means different things to different people. For me, that's paying respect to military, first responders, teachers, and great people in the country. For others, it may be hard to 'pledge allegiance' to a country that you don't feel has represented you.
Example: Imagine trying to force an American Indian person to stand and pledge their allegiance. Do you see why their option to kneel is important?

[loveslongnails]

Have you read the words to the pledge of allegiance?
Separation of Church and State means the State cannot impose a universal religion, but it also implies a lot of other things. Why is God even mentioned in the pledge? Why does "In God We Trust" appear on US currency?

But besides all that, which is a debate all in itself, the pledge contains one of the biggest fucking lies ever spoken in this country - "... with liberty and justice for ALL".
Bullshit. I stopped saying the pledge in elementary school when I realized how much of a lie that is. If someone refuses to say it, or rise, good for them. No one should be forced to say that crap anymore.

[LazerBean]

I'd glad that they are making it easy for me to distinguish who I don't want to associate with.

[Still-alive]

and who's that?

[Lycanthropic]

@Still-alive The unpatriotic.

[Still-alive]

@Lycanthropic and so what?

[Lycanthropic]

@Still-alive You asked. iF

[Still-alive]

@Lycanthropic right so what if someone sits during the pledge or is unpatriotic? Would you do something about it?

[Lycanthropic]

@Still-alive No.

[CrazyGirl2]

It’s annoying and disrespectful, especially to all those who have died to guarantee their right to act like an asshole!

[Lycanthropic]

A true American.

[loveslongnails]

When there actually is "liberty and justice for all", then I'll stand and pledge. As a 19 yr old, you need to examine your country's history in a LOT greater detail. Many of those who died would have said the same thing.

[CrazyGirl2]

@loveslongnails Oh, I’m sorry, could you name a county that as a 100% pure history? First I often hear about the slaughter of native Americans… that was when this land was colonized by England, Spain, Germany, Holland, and France! America may have had slaves, just like almost every country on earth, and slavery continues TO THIS DAY! However, America was the only country to fight a war to free the slaves! Meanwhile, I’ll just wait for that list of countries that have 100% clean and pure histories, thank you.

[loveslongnails]

No country has that, obviously, but so what? I'm not going to pledge allegiance to any flag, or country, because my allegiance is to what's right first, not what some government "tells me" is right. You say you "hear about" the slaughter of Native Americans. So you were not born in the USA?
True, they went to war several times with armies from those countries, but that's not even what I'm talking about.

The government of the US once formed, went on a systematic attempt to wipe out the Native American population in its' entirety, even those who fought on the side of the Revolutionaries. This started shortly after the war ended, continued through to the Trail of Tears, through 500+ broken treaties. The list of horrors carried out by the US government, right in our own country, is quite revolting.

As to slavery, you do know that if you ask anyone from the deep south, they'll tell you the Civil War wasn't fought to free slaves at all. They'll tell you it was fought over "state's rights". Hmm.

Anyway, back to the question. I haven't even seen the pledge of allegiance said anymore. They still do the national anthem at sporting events, and I don't care if someone doesn't get up or take off their hat or put their hand over their heart. Those are empty gestures to me. Some of those same people support Trump and he's a tyrant, while they call everyone else unpatriotic. They don't know the meaning of the word.

[CrazyGirl2]

@loveslongnails Okay, so None then? Then how about giving me the name of a country that has a 100% record of always doing what is right and good? Look, I’ve lived in three countries, and seen what live is like in other places, half my family lives in England… most of them all wish they lived here, last year 2.5 million people and over a million so far this year illegally crossed the southern border, just for a chance to live in this country you seem to hold in such little regard. How many Americans are clamoring to go the other way and leave? Ah right, NONE!

[loveslongnails]

Your argument is irrelevant to the point of the post. The only thing you said that's relevant is that I do hold the USA in rather low regard right now not just because of its history, but where it's gone over the last 4-6 years in particular, especially under that idiot Trump.

I didn't say I wanted to leave the US, did I? NO, what I'd rather see is intelligent and non-corrupted leadership, and JUSTICE for ALL. The REAL patriots are the people who are outraged by the abuses of government, not the ones who support it and say "love it or love it".

And as for Mexicans or Central Americans clamoring to get into the USA, of COURSE they are because it's better than the poverty they live-in. Better than. But it's not so great for the 29.9% of the population that lives below, at or 2 times above the poverty line, is it?
But that doesn't affect you or me, does it? The people clamoring to get in who hear they can make $12 dollars an hour don't necessarily realize that's 150% above the poverty line in this country - if they can even get in and find work.

[TransAm85]

Don't show me that Kaepernick! I drive through Fon du Lac every week to go to Adams County. It's a bunch of farmers and hillbillies. He grew up peacefully.

[jengeorge26]

@TransAm85 read what I said about our military fighting for the freedom and the rights of others to protest and burn our FLAG

[RolandCuthbert]

I see folks sitting down all the time during the pledge of allegiance. Never seen any one kneeling. But I don’t think I would have a different reaction for them.

[JustiReno]

You kneel when someone injured NOT disrespectful at all this is F-in BS

[Kimistry102]

This country was "founded"(stolen) by heretics (religious zealots kicked out of their own countries), mass murdering the indigenous in their quest of manifest destiny. The flag or piece of cloth/plastic that represents that can be treated in any way as far as I'm concerned. I wish we were more concerned with empathy, redemption, and compassion for human beings than a flag to unite us.

[ShadezMcgee]

Don't even care anymore. People are kneeling for the anthem, burning the flag, not standing for the pledge, etc. Too much division and disrespect to give a shit now.

[Sour-rose]

Man, idgaf. I probably would stand just because I'm thankful for this state... it's fun as hell

[Whatever2929292]

Insanity. Look how normal people look that are standing up saying the pledge. And some weirdos sitting down or kneeling.

[slatyb]

The great thing about the US is that we have freedom of speech and expression. No one can make me recite anything, or stand for anything.

[Spotifyplaylist]

I used to sit down during the pledge of allegiance at school. Now I wouldn't care if someone did it too.

[call_me_scar]

Good for them that's their right plus let's face it if hell existed then 99% of are government would be going to that place

[JustiReno]

I get it: join or die. Like, we going house to house and British sympathizers getting shot with their families

[John_Doesnt]

I don't see it written anywhere in the law that we have to stand or sit or do anything during the pledge.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

[llorando]

I would have no thougths or feelings about them at all

[TwoToTooTutu2]

It's dumb and annoying. But at the end of the day I could care less.

[DevinAM]

I stopped standing for the pledge in elementary school I think, largely because the "under god" portion; I do not believe in God.