(10-20-2017, 06:29 PM)jagibelieve Wrote:

(10-19-2017, 07:02 PM)hb1148 Wrote: It's patriotic to exercise your constitutional rights. Unquestioned allegiance to a symbol is how fascist dictatorships start.

True.  

However The National Anthem, The Pledge of Allegiance, etc. is not just pledging allegiance to a symbol, it's showing respect for what the symbol represents.  The flag isn't just a "piece of cloth" or just a "symbol" just like The Anthem is not just "a song".  It's all about what they represent.

You know, the Republic that it symbolizes which is one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

You know, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

It's about each and every one of us regardless of race, religion, gender, etc.

So in essence, kneeling and/or refusing to show some dignity and respect when the flag is presented and The Anthem is played pretty much disrespects the people of this country.

I disagree. The flag and the anthem are symbols, exactly right, but issues arise when people start to confuse the ideals with the symbols. They're not synonymous. The reason it can become dangerous is because eventually the symbol can be more important than the ideals. There are historical examples. Hell, we're seeing it right now where the freedom to peaceful protest is being viewed as being secondary in importance to the symbol itself. Someone on social media said "I want to be able to support my flag because of what it represents, not in spite of what it represents." I certainly agree with that sentiment.

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