How is it disrespectfull?

Well I finnaly have a reason to use this Rant forum. Well, I am in high school, graduating finnaly in June. Anyway, we do the pledge of allegiance every morning, except me. I simply just sit there and don't do anything about it. Lately i have been getting a lot of critisism about it, with many of my friends saying its disrespectfull. I always ask someone how it is disrespectful and i always get the same answer "it's disrespectfull because its not respecting the country". My answer is "don't repeat yourself, and i have a right not to respect this country." Now i have many reasons for this, not only because I'm an Atheist, but because i don't think we should be obligated to express our respect or patriotism by the pledge. No one seems to understand this when i explain it to them. Today i was told "not standing during the pledge is like spitting in the face of all those who fight and die for you". I just don't understand, whats the big deal??? why do people get so worked up and think im so disrespectfull and can't even tell me how and back it up????
sorry about my spelling errors

I never do the pledge because I'm too lazy to do it.

I mean, I come in the morning, all tired, I finally sit down, then like "Everyone please stand for the flag salute."

I just don't give a crap.

You should have the right to NOT say the pledge if you don't want to. It's a free country. Saying a pledge to the flag every morning doesn't seem very American to me, it feels like brainwashing kind of.

I usually just stand quietly when everyone else is saying it to show that I have respect for THEIR beliefs but that I'm not going to participate.

I agree, it is brainwashing. I respect everyone else, and let them do it peacefully. I just can't believe how personal people take such a thing. And really, i didnt care how what people thought, most of them i don't know. But when some of my closest friends tell me im disrespectfull it really angers me. they have no problem with me being an atheist and a conspiracy theorist...but they have a problem with this!? I think they are way overreacting.

any more opinions would be great

Right on

I am english and never sang the national anthem when everyone else did.

Because I don't agree with the British Royal family and what they stand for doesn't mean I am a traitor or anything. More apathy than anything else.

I am also an aetheist and never sang hymns at weddings.

Each to their own.

Bit different if you started singing "highway to hell" or humming the dambusters theme tune while your classmates were doing their "pledge" stuff, but you didn't did you!

Keep on "not" doin' it.

As a young enlisted member of the Air Force, I believe it is your right whether you decide to participate or not. I never did like the Pledge of Allegiance. Why would you wnat to pledge your allegiance to a flag and not our country for one. It is common courtesy to stand up for the flag though..........in military funerals there is always a flag involved. Just pretend you are standing up for one of the many soldiers that have died in war.

But, if your friends keep giving you crap just tell them that it's okay, you have permission from someone that fights or your freedoms.

Originally posted by MajorMalfunction
You should have the right to NOT say the pledge if you don't want to. It's a free country. Saying a pledge to the flag every morning doesn't seem very American to me, it feels like brainwashing kind of.

I usually just stand quietly when everyone else is saying it to show that I have respect for THEIR beliefs but that I'm not going to participate.

I agree 100%. Once during the pledge of allegiance I was really absorbed in my book and could hardly notice that we were doing the pledge. Everyone was standing up (obviously) and I was reading my book. Then my teacher takes away my book and starts yelling at me like:

"Do you always read during the pledge? Do you have any idea how disrepsectful you are being? My son is in the army and you -- youu --- YOU'RE READING A BOOK!!" and she kept going on and on and to be quite honest; I would've been reading my book while she was yelling at me had she not taken it away.

Pretty much, don't feel bad about not saying the pledge. In fact, I think the pledge is absolutely absurd and serves no purpose other than forced patriotism to a country that would otherwise not receive it.

Thumbs up for not saying the pledge. w00t w00t!

In my opinion- if a sheep trys to stray from the herd there will always be a sheep dog ready to bark, bite ,and chase it back.Sorry for the comparison but I felt it applied here as well as many situations.Don't let them tell you what to believe, or who you should respect.That decision is yours alone.

I love America but the way its going now it almost seems that its not our country. But you still have a choice I'm not gonna chew you out because you didn't say the pledge. Thats your right. The flag is just a symbol its not a country.

Mehhhhhhhhhhh try not to worry about it although as i know as well it's easier to say than do.

It just shows what sad lives some of these people lead when they let something like this effect them and have to make you feel like your doing something wrong.

Firstly let me say if everyone was the same then the world would be a very very boring place like the others have said let the sheep follow the sheep because even if you did feel the need to say a few airy words to try and convince yourself you were achieving something they'd probably find fault with something else. So just be yourself and let them live in there ignorant ways

It is a brainwashing propaganda that all countries do, they start using it on their citizens since young to make them unquestionably loyal to their countries.

It is the same with most religions or cultures. That is why it is so important to question. Most Leaders want their followers to have blind faith.

[edit on 5-5-2007 by ixiy]

So true. It's easier to go conduct an illegal war on some country that was otherwise minding its own business that way.

its been liek 2 years since ive done the pledge of allegiance

dosnt it go a little something like this?

i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisble and liberty and justice for all?

did i get it right?

anywys when i was in highschool i would simply stand up during the pledge just to avoid confrontations and questionings why i wasn't doing it, around my senior year or half way through my junior year i decided to start participating completley, i never got much crap for it