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Thread: Flag protocol

  1. #1
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    Flag protocol

    It seems like more and more people don't put their hand over their heart during the national anthem. Why do you think this has changed? just a society shift or are people less patriotic than they were 20 years ago? I don't really have any ideas. This "horrible" trend is discussed often among my older friends..I tend to see it as not particularly a lessening of patriotism, but just a society shift.

  2. #2
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Well, if the POTUS has to be prodded by his (immigrant) wife, as if he were a child, why should we the people care?

    To be honest, I haven't paid attention to this as a trend.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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  3. #3
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    I don't say the Pledge. And I'm very ambivalent about the "patriotism" of "saluting the flag".

    http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-...azi-180960100/

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    Nice article.

    I was raised Mennonite where we questioned whether we should pledge allegiance to anyone other than God himself. There were all kinds of levels of standing, reciting, singing, hand on heart, or the lack of any of the above. It was left up to each individual conscience.

  5. #5
    Yppej
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    I modify the pledge, omitting the phrase "under God" and inserting "the goal of" before "liberty and justice for all".

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    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    Many years ago I swore a solemn pledge to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. The American Flag, as a symbol of the country I volunteered to serve, deserves the respect and honor I've pledged.

    During my service days, I saluted the flag during Reveille and Retreat or when it passed by. As a veteran, I placed my hand over my heart during flag ceremonies, while reciting the Pledge or during the National Anthem. As a result of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, I can now do either at will, and I do, proudly.
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  7. #7
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    I recall that in public schools we had to say the pledge of allegiance every morning and there was a flag guard to raise and lower the flag daily. We all had to put our hands over our heart. Perhaps patriotism as such isn't "taught" in schools anymore. I don't really know but I doubt it. We also had Texas patriotism rubbed in our noses as we had to sing "The Eyes of Texas" after the pledge.

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    Bae, thanks for the article.

    I haven't saluted in a long time. This is in part due to a debate that started long ago, about things such as burning the flag, and while people in our school were debating this, the schools procedure to raise the flag was not inline with what it preached. They drug the flag across the ground when they went to hang up the flag.

  9. #9
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    Changing values over all. Yes at my ripe old age I remember the pledge over the speaker on the wall and we all stood with hand over heart. Now however looking at old black and white pictures of little kids doing this, It looks very strange.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alan View Post
    Many years ago I swore a solemn pledge to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. The American Flag, as a symbol of the country I volunteered to serve, deserves the respect and honor I've pledged.

    During my service days, I saluted the flag during Reveille and Retreat or when it passed by. As a veteran, I placed my hand over my heart during flag ceremonies, while reciting the Pledge or during the National Anthem. As a result of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, I can now do either at will, and I do, proudly.
    I'm with you. As far as the flag is concerned, my view hasn't changed since I was eight years old. I think of the flag on the Moon. I think of Rick Monday snatching the flag from a couple of vermin trying to burn it in the outfield. I think of the flag they'll drape over my coffin.

    I think people have every right to question or disrespect or even desecrate the flag and its meaning. I just don't think they have any power to detract from it.

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