Essay On The Pledge Of Allegiance

“I Pledge Allegiance to the flag…” a phrase that nearly any US resident could finish without thinking. But to go beyond the mindless regurgitation of the Pledge of Allegiance that happens in schools across the country, the Pledge’s meaning can symbolize different things to everyone. It is a meaning riddled with contradictions: xenophobia and national pride written in the same words. In looking into these contradictions and ideas, I believe my school should continue to have the optional daily recitation the Pledge of Allegiance, but vote on the possible adoption of America’s Creed, in effort to appease as many students as possible.
The American flag, the Pledge and other US Civic practices have become symbols of our democracy. Naturally a common argument for the mandatory recitation, or at the very least optional practice, of the pledge is that we are honoring our freedom and veterans. One veteran states “It fills our heart and makes us remember things that we pledged to do. The things that we did for our country, in time of combat” (Source E). These

It is less controversial removing the lines about God “a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed” and emphasis our roles as citizens; “I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.”(Source B) And if people feel strongly about the racist and xenophobic origins that the Pledge was written in the context of, they can vote against it (Source D and F). As one author claims, “The pledge reveals the central, humiliating lie of American life – this country has not earned its loyalty, not from everyone, and thus demands it.” I agree that blind recitation is bad, but the Pledge reminds many people who we