Seven Reasons Why You Do Not Have to Stand for the Flag.
In American it is considered customary to stand for the pledge of allegiance and for the National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The reason given is, it honors veteran and it shows your support for America. Below are seven reasons why sitting is okay and not offensive.
1. The Pledge of Allegiance nor “The Star-Spangled Banner” were written to honor anyone. Up until 1965 not all residents of USA could be citizens. In fact, the only group of people who were legally allowed to be citizens in America from 1776 until now are English-Americans. No other ethnic group (including white people (i.e.: Irish, German, Russian, Italian, Swedish, etc.)) could be citizens. Each ethnic group has their own Independence Day in America. You also had to be Catholic, so white Jews were not welcomed to be citizens either. “The Pledge” was written specifically for immigrant children. The Pledge is simply a vow. When you recite the pledge and salute the flag, it is similar to swearing on the bible in a court room. You are making a vow on the flag that if America goes to war, you will fight as an American soldier. Because non-English immigrants could not be citizens, they did not have to fight in America’s army. The pledge was written for immigrants to promise, even though they are legally not allowed to become citizens, they will fight as if they were. Because the army laws and citizenship laws have changed, the pledge is no longer needed. Had white Americans not have been evil, they would have never needed it.
The Star-Spangled Banner was originally a poem entitled, “”Defence of Fort M’Henry,” written by Francis Scott Key in 1814. His brother-in-law, Joseph H. Nicholson, after reading the poem set the poem to the song “The Anacreontic Song”, by English composer John Stafford Smith. Because the poem was about Key’s experience witnessing The War of 1812 while a prisoner on the enemy’s ship, the song soon became a war song. War songs do not honor veterans. War songs are sung to those who are grieving a soldier who died due to war. In 1931 Former President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution, that Star-Spangled banner would be America’s national anthem. The citizens of America disagreed with this because the only time you are supposed to sing The Star-Spangled Banner, which is a war song, is when comforting people who have lost a loved one due to war.
There is no dishonoring when sitting.
2. Due to separation between church and state, not only can the church not enforce any of its practices on the state, the state cannot enforce its practices on the church. Anyone who practices a religion or faith cannot be forced to stand due to this law.
3. 1943 Law: The Supreme Court in 1943 passed a law that allows people to sit. It is illegal to force any one to recite the pledge or stand for the flag.
4. Freedom of Speech: Due to the freedom of speech, no one can stop anyone from speaking or force anyone to speak. Not only do American have freedom of speech, they have the right to remain silent.
5. Freedom of religion: Believe it or not, saluting the flag and reciting anything regularly fits the description of religion. The church cannot force you to pray in school, nor can the state force you to recite anything that is religious or anything considered to be a tradition.
6. Democracy: Because America is a democracy, so they say, it is not allowed to enforce or require anyone to do anything they oppose. The fact Americans criticize China, Russia, and countries such as Iraq and Iran, for not allowing their citizens freedom and then condemn people for sitting for the flag, shows the hypocrisy of Americans.
7. Veterans: No shade to veterans, truth be told, veterans never fought for our freedom. There has never been a country that America had to fight in order to have freedom of speech, religion, guns, abortion, gay marriage, black people and women the right to vote, equal pay, justice, liberty, or anything else we have. No country has ever stopped American from having freedom except the English people who stole the land and their descendants who kept slaves and created white supremacy. Everything America has come through sit-ins, petitioning, marches, protesting, boycotts, riots, and law suits, not war. And everything America does not have is because the American Government won’t give it to them. Not because of another country, simply because they have the power to withhold whatever they please. What veterans had to endure physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally, was horrible, depressing, and hurtful. I commend them for being a soldier. At the end of the day the countries they were told to fight, did not stop the discrimination, inequality, and injustice that continues to live on in this country.
The Pledge and The Star-Spangled Banner were never intended on honoring anyone. They both have their purposes. They are still a part of American culture. And according to the laws in America no one has to practice American culture. It is a choice. You may think it is offensive, at the end of the day, what you think doesn’t matter. Everyone is entitled to believe in their own Gods, their own faiths, and/or their own belief systems, without being condemned. And that is the country we live in. The next time you feel offended by someone sitting, remember you may be offending someone by standing. We have the freedom to follow our own hearts. If you truly believe what you are doing is right, you shouldn’t need anyone else doing it with you. If you stand or sit, then be prepared to stand or sit alone. That is the freedom you have. The freedom you claim the veterans fought for.
