What is with the forced patriotism of the right? They want no independent thought, just everyone marching in lockstep. It doesn’t install a love of country to force someone to say the Pledge of Allegiance, nor by making them sing a song, just like forced morning prayers never made kids religious. If it is illegal to force kids to stand and say the pledge, it has to also be illegal to make them stand and sing the national anthem. Notice the other things this guy wants, no same-sex marriages and no trans people. Is this because he is a fundamentalist religious person? A fundie? Is this what he thinks is patriotic because in church everyone is required to do group think and never question the leader? Hugs. Scottie
Des Moines’ ABC affiliate reports:
A new bill in the Iowa House of Representatives would make it a legal requirement for public school students and teachers in grades 1-12 to sing the national anthem. The proposed bill passed the subcommittee in a 2-1 vote. The bill would mandate students to sing the anthem at least once a day and for social studies classes to teach about the meaning and history of the national anthem. Physically able students would need to “stand at attention” and “remove any headdress that is not being worn for religious purposes.”
Des Moines’ NBC affiliate reports:
Connie Ryan, Executive Director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, compared it to what Adolph Hitler did when he took power in Germany. “Adolph Hitler became the chancellor of Germany in January 1933 and made a national anthem required for all students, all people to know, to be able to sing, to sing it at the same tempo. There were lots of different requirements the Nazis put on that,” Ryan said. “That is not my idea of a free democracy, and I would urge us to oppose this legislation simply on those grounds.”
The bill’s author, Rep. Skyler Wheeler [photo], last appeared here in March 2023 when he sponsored a bill to place a ban on same-sex marriage in the state constitution in case Obergefell ever gets overturned. Wheeler is also the author of recent anti-trans legislation.
It amazes me how awash with jingoism the USA is
It amazes me how awash with jingoism the USA GOP is.
It’s like there is one great wave of self-delusion going on, whether the use of terminology, ‘patriots’, chants of USA/USA, or the interminable flags that appear compulsory behind every moron running for election.
It’s all a charade of how united we are, when the exact opposite is the truth.
Or the mandatory flag lapel pins. Put one on and — bingo! — you’re a patriot!
On display with all the politicians.
How very postmodern of them — style over substance.
It’s been like this my whole life. We did all this crap when I was in elementary school. We said the pledge of allegiance and some other crap. Texas even has a pledge to the state flag that a lot of kids say. (It’s dumb. It’s something like “Honor the Texas flag.” I might be misremembering. It wasn’t interesting enough to commit to memory verbatim.)
Reminder, Iowa Republicans are against feeding poor students but this they’re for.
Eat the anthem, kids. It’s zero calories!
^^^THIS^^^ It’s the Republican simple-minded, no-cost solution to “fixing our schools
You forgot bringng back the Lord’s Prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance. But, fuck any book that mentions slavery, or the Native American genocide, or segregation, etc
I was immediately reminded of how the Nazi’s quickly took over Germany – this is indoctrination. Period.
Children are just easily programmable accessories to Republicans. And practically slaves in Arkansas.
Forcing patriotism is not the way to inculcate loyalty to the nation by the young.
Nothing makes someone dislike doing something more than compelling them to do so.
I’m sick of these people using our symbols as props.
I despise that they’ve turned the US flag into something I have a visceral negative response when I see it displayed.
Why, when, how did the US flag become a symbol of christian nationalism and fascism? It has been co-opted by the right as if waving the flag demonstrates only their “patriotism” to the exclusion of all others.
For me, it’s Trump’s mugging for the cameras as he hugs the flag, and the faux patriotism of many who wave it, that triggers strong, negative feelings. The ultimate though has to be the girl at the Trump rally wiping her nose with it. The people who have turned it into a wearable commodity sicken me.
Republicans have been doing this schtick of pretending they’re more patriotic than anyone else for a long time. What they really are is isolationists, nationalists, and fascists.
Ridiculous people and their ridiculous rules.
Scottie's Playtime 
Does he think the kiddoes will pay attention to what they’re singing? It’s just more minutes before they have to take the test, but closer to recess. Several more minutes, actually! 😀 I remember saying the pledge in elementary school. We all knew it, we just stood up and said it, and got it over with. It’s a rote activity that meant little to nothing to kiddoes who just stay orderly because that’s what you do in school, sort of the way every meeting in the US starting saying the pledge before coming to order, after those plane crashes in Sept. ’01.
I bet this guy doesn’t pay attention when he says it, either.
I seem to be really opinionated and chatty today, huh? My apologies.
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Hi Ali;
I was thinking very similar to you on this. They will memorize the pledge, but really have no idea what it means because it will mean nothing to them outside of what they do every day at 09:00 or whatever. I don’t imagine many elementary students have the definition of “allegiance” much less see the irony of giving a pledge for “liberty” or “justice” while being compelled to give a pledge for which they don’t understand.
hugs;
randy
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