WKRLEM: The Pledge of Allegiance that every child in America should be taught to say every day.
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
I could never understand it. And it always did seem like coercion to me. I am being coerced to pledge my allegiance to, a flag? I'm standing there pledging my allegiance to a flag. People are insisting (the free-roaming giants) that I stand there with my hand on my heart and pledge my allegiance to a flag.
(and for which it stands, yeah, yeah, yeah) And if I keep doing that then eventually I'll be hypnotized into actually feeling strongly about this whole allegiance to that flag right there on a pole.
And they're insisting on God again. They are dragging God into their nationalism. They're certain that all pledge takers are also God believers. Those two are inseparable so two things are being demanded here. Of me. An innocent 7 year old. At that point I though you guys were saying "invisible" and I didn't know what "indivisible" meant when it was explained to me. But I sensed coercion and I didn't like it all the way up.
Let's talk about happy things instead.
It relates.
Yesterday, at Target garden section, a separate deal, my second stop, in a short but unnecessarily long taking time in line, a voice behind me said, "nice embroidery."
There is no embroidery anywhere. It didn't make sense. I turned and saw the guy who played the indian guy in One Flew Over The Coo Coo Nest, except the guy in the movie was dressed better. I still didn't know what meant.
"Oh! Those are Boy Scout merit badges" sewn into my t-shirt, I actually did a crap job of attaching them like a cave-boy sewed them on.
"Oh. I made to Wolverines." I don't know what that means.
Now he wanted to talk about merit badges.
I told him my brother was eagle, sash, 20 + merit badges. Me, 3, made it the 2nd level then moved to new place in Louisiana where the den master was a DICK!
"Ooops." I completely forgot I'm in public and that is unacceptable and now I'm authentic nutter.
"That's okay. I did my time in Camp Pendleton" Whatever that is, Marines innit. Now he wants to talk about military.
Whatever bizarre thing I said he followed along, that eager to be conversational.
The girl helper was incredibly nice too. Both young people, I'm telling you, they're are the best. I go, how much is this vinca? She goes $6.00. All the pots hold 5 plants. That will work for spreading them across the troughs, 2 each. They can take over sometimes. That's what Aerogarden says when they introduced vincas for their kits. "I meant to get 2 of these but I couldn't carry them both."
"Want another one?" Ba-zing. She dashes back, picks up two and returns so I can pick another. Energy. Eagerness to please. Pleasant. Kind. Full of grace. FULL of it, right there buying a couple plants at Target.
While the gigantic indian looking guy waits patiently through all this and eager to have conversation.
That was just one incident. There were others packed in one day, a few hours shopping. I find when I am not rushed then kind things happen.
Here's another nice thing. It's sweet. So sweet it must be rewarded.
They call me Bo around here. I got a telephone call mid morning. "Mr. Bo. we noticed your air filter is still by your door. Would you like us to change them for you?"
I go, "Sure."
A dude from the office comes up and changes the air filter. Two days go by and I'm putting things in the pantry and wonder wtf is that paper on the table. It was the note that comes with the filter they passed out. It says what to do and offers to do it for you for an additional $15.00.
The guy didn't mention charging anything. We conversed a long time. The office person enjoyed coming up and talking and all that talk covering various subject and no mention of charge because he didn't intend to charge me. I didn't ask them to change the filter for me, they asked if I'm okay with the filter, would I like them to do it.
They're looking out for me specifically.
That must be rewarded.
So the Target place electronic charge asks, "want any cash back?" Sure. For the guy who just now changed my filters. Back home, he was gone to lunch when I gave him the 20. When he returns to his desk from lunch it will be like an invisible person paid for his lunch. I believe little things like that go a long way. It's why they checked when the filter wasn't picked up right away. They want to make sure I'm alright. And that's nice.
I repeated the Pledge just last week at my son's high school graduation. Yes, they still do that in California public schools. We have a color guard too which appears at every function and commands respect. Of course it helps to live in a non-fab town dominated by the USMC.
6 comments:
We used to.
When I was a kid.
Hillary wants the pledge to the America That Is Yet To Be.
Where only the illegals, the Moslems, the criminals, and the Lefties have rights.
This video will clearly now have to be feature with a trigger warning and a link providing the nearest safe space.
I could never understand it. And it always did seem like coercion to me. I am being coerced to pledge my allegiance to, a flag? I'm standing there pledging my allegiance to a flag. People are insisting (the free-roaming giants) that I stand there with my hand on my heart and pledge my allegiance to a flag.
(and for which it stands, yeah, yeah, yeah) And if I keep doing that then eventually I'll be hypnotized into actually feeling strongly about this whole allegiance to that flag right there on a pole.
And they're insisting on God again. They are dragging God into their nationalism. They're certain that all pledge takers are also God believers. Those two are inseparable so two things are being demanded here. Of me. An innocent 7 year old. At that point I though you guys were saying "invisible" and I didn't know what "indivisible" meant when it was explained to me. But I sensed coercion and I didn't like it all the way up.
Let's talk about happy things instead.
It relates.
Yesterday, at Target garden section, a separate deal, my second stop, in a short but unnecessarily long taking time in line, a voice behind me said, "nice embroidery."
There is no embroidery anywhere. It didn't make sense. I turned and saw the guy who played the indian guy in One Flew Over The Coo Coo Nest, except the guy in the movie was dressed better. I still didn't know what meant.
"Oh! Those are Boy Scout merit badges" sewn into my t-shirt, I actually did a crap job of attaching them like a cave-boy sewed them on.
"Oh. I made to Wolverines." I don't know what that means.
Now he wanted to talk about merit badges.
I told him my brother was eagle, sash, 20 + merit badges. Me, 3, made it the 2nd level then moved to new place in Louisiana where the den master was a DICK!
"Ooops." I completely forgot I'm in public and that is unacceptable and now I'm authentic nutter.
"That's okay. I did my time in Camp Pendleton" Whatever that is, Marines innit. Now he wants to talk about military.
Whatever bizarre thing I said he followed along, that eager to be conversational.
The girl helper was incredibly nice too. Both young people, I'm telling you, they're are the best. I go, how much is this vinca? She goes $6.00. All the pots hold 5 plants. That will work for spreading them across the troughs, 2 each. They can take over sometimes. That's what Aerogarden says when they introduced vincas for their kits. "I meant to get 2 of these but I couldn't carry them both."
"Want another one?" Ba-zing. She dashes back, picks up two and returns so I can pick another. Energy. Eagerness to please. Pleasant. Kind. Full of grace. FULL of it, right there buying a couple plants at Target.
While the gigantic indian looking guy waits patiently through all this and eager to have conversation.
That was just one incident. There were others packed in one day, a few hours shopping. I find when I am not rushed then kind things happen.
Here's another nice thing. It's sweet. So sweet it must be rewarded.
They call me Bo around here. I got a telephone call mid morning. "Mr. Bo. we noticed your air filter is still by your door. Would you like us to change them for you?"
I go, "Sure."
A dude from the office comes up and changes the air filter. Two days go by and I'm putting things in the pantry and wonder wtf is that paper on the table. It was the note that comes with the filter they passed out. It says what to do and offers to do it for you for an additional $15.00.
The guy didn't mention charging anything. We conversed a long time. The office person enjoyed coming up and talking and all that talk covering various subject and no mention of charge because he didn't intend to charge me. I didn't ask them to change the filter for me, they asked if I'm okay with the filter, would I like them to do it.
They're looking out for me specifically.
That must be rewarded.
So the Target place electronic charge asks, "want any cash back?" Sure. For the guy who just now changed my filters. Back home, he was gone to lunch when I gave him the 20. When he returns to his desk from lunch it will be like an invisible person paid for his lunch. I believe little things like that go a long way. It's why they checked when the filter wasn't picked up right away. They want to make sure I'm alright. And that's nice.
It is Chip. But you are a good guy and I know it shows. That is why people want to do good things for you.
You reap what you sow. So to speak.
I repeated the Pledge just last week at my son's high school graduation. Yes, they still do that in California public schools. We have a color guard too which appears at every function and commands respect. Of course it helps to live in a non-fab town dominated by the USMC.
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