It is offensive for anyone, especially children, to be forced to conform with someone else’s concept of patriotism.
- I remember when the the religious phrase was added to the Pledge of Allegiance. We were assured that we need not say the offensive phrase if we didn’t want to.
- I remember Clint Eastwood’s movie with a scene showing a policeman threatening a Japanese woman, the wife of a Japanese soldier, for not displaying the Japanese flag during the war.
- I think of frequent disrespect for the flag: flag clothing, flags flapping from moving cars, flags left flying overnight unlighted, flags left flying in the rain.
- I think of the National Anthem played over loudspeakers ignored by the people.
- I remember being bullied for not having a flag pin in my lapel during the Vietnam war.
- When compelled to stand for the pledge, as at Tom Reed’s meetings, I remember that it was written by an American Socialist–Francis Bellamy
I find these offensive–the casual disrespect of the flag as well as efforts to force conformance with another’s concept of patriotism.
New NY 23rd 
The more things change, the more they remain the same….
Schools are now threatening to penalize students for various protest gestures including kneeling for the national anthem.
These schools are diverse –
Three Catholic high schools on Long Island in the Diocese of Rockville Centre
Parkway High School in Bossier City, La.
Penalties range from “severe disciplinary action” to “loss of playing time and/or participation” in sports.
The Supreme Court has ruled on this issue several times. In 1943, the Court ruled that public school students could not be forced to salute the American flag or recite the Pledge of Allegiance if it conflicted with their religious beliefs. The Supreme Court also touched on students’ right to peaceful protest during public school hours in 1969, when it ruled in favor of students who wanted to wear black armbands to protest the Vietnam War.
I myself am disturbed by the misdirection that is occurring as we follow the latest shiny object.
We are now discussing the right of people to lawfully protest, which was determined decades ago and reaffirmed periodically while ignoring the elephant in the room.
The original issue was a protest about the injustice done to our black citizens. Which no one wants to talk about. Trump’s misdirection was successful. As always.
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This controversy serves as a wedge issue–while Americans are evenly divided, Republicans overwhelmingly favor repression while Democrats oppose it. I am proud of my alma mater, Jackson, MI HS as well as Auburn HS in Rockford, IL where family members graduated.
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/09/29/554321090/how-schools-are-dealing-with-students-right-to-protest
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Texas high school coach boots football players for anthem protest…..
Today’s Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/10/02/texas-high-school-coach-boots-football-players-for-anthem-protest/?hpid=hp_hp-morning-mix_mm-texas%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.78187e9261d7
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