Should you be forced to stand for The Star-Spangled Banner? (millionaire, military)
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Status:
"Let this year be over..."
(set 13 days ago)
Location: Where my bills arrive
19,220 posts, read 17,066,032 times
Reputation: 15535
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All the posters who feel its ones right not to stand out of respect (you don't have to participate) during the national anthem probably would have no issue to those who don't bow their head when a faith leader is giving a prayer. Or when you are asked to be courteous during any type of event where a group is asked to stand, maintain silence, bow their heads.
What does standing and kneeling mean for you? I can see both sides. What side do you stand for? Maybe common ground can be found here?
This is the USA. We don't force anyone to do things like stand for the Anthem or saying the pledge and such. This isn't North Korea. I remember a news story during Obamas first campaign where a grade school teacher (I think it was third or fourth grade) was having her class sing a praise be to Obama song. It looked eerily like what North Korean school children are required to do in singing praise the great leader song.
I do find disrespecting the flag and the Anthem to be quite ....annoying. To me the traditions of standing for the Anthem and facing the flag is paying homage to our fallen who gave all for their country. Not the objectives of the conflict the government had in ordering them into battle or to the government and leadership, but the fact they did their duty and went. It's very ...inappropriate...to use that as a platform for political protest.
I see the tradition of standing and facing the flag for the Anthem as something to remember the soldiers, sailor, airmen and Marines who did the duty that wearing the uniform requires. Something to honor the little guy...so to speak. This taking a knee in reverse of the tradition of standing to protest "racial inequality" is just not right.
But I can't abide forcing people to follow a tradition. That turns it into state mandated expression of loyalty to the government. Not a traditional homage to the fallen. Again, this is not North Korea or the USSR.
I would say no because I do not believe that anyone in the general public should be forced.
However, I believe that it is within the rights of employers to have codes of conduct that they want their employees to follow. I also believe that it is perfectly acceptable for the military to require standing, saluting and facing the flag when the colors are raised or lowered and during the national anthem.
So my response is mixed and I don't have the choice to vote that in the poll.
I interpret the poll as a general question of the general public. Not one dealing with the specific cases you laid out in the second paragraph.
No! That is not what this country stands for. If you don't have respect for your country I have no respect for you..
Rubbish, you view is jingoistic and ultimately flawed. You don't get to put a flag before of the constitution.
There is no requirement to show respect for a flag beyond remaining silent. I saw no right wingers getting upset at people going to the bathroom or buying hotdogs during anthems before this got "Trumped" up.
If you bar for respecting people is them requiring them to give up their first amendment rights than i doubt too many folk will want or care about your respect.
If your employer and customers required you to stand for the national anthem, and paid you extremely well, you could choose to comply with their request or choose to walk away from the money, get a job as a bus driver, personal trainer, janitor or selling cell phones, etc., etc., and you would not be required to stand for the national anthem. Problem solved.
The employer will not lose any sleep on whether you come or go. Everyone can be replaced. You just have to learn to live on a new, greatly reduced budget for you choice.
It's not a principle until it costs you something. And the employer is not the one who will pay that cost.
I have a bigger problem with people who think they are being patriotic wearing and writing on the flag. The real estate agents who put little flags around the perimeter of house lots. They are left to get rained on and dragged in the dirt.
They have been printing flags on all kinds of textiles, Doormats, throws and various clothing items. Bothers me to see people wiping their feet or sitting their asses on even just a print of a flag.
But the biggest insult is politicians and military people who should know better, writing on the flag.
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