Alonzo Fyfe

Many schools require that students stand for the pledge even if they do not recite it.

They argue that doing so is a necessary exercise in teaching respect for the flag and the country.

I would like to encourage those who are in such a situation to remain seated.

And when asked about showing respect for their country, answer politely,

"I have nothing but respect for the principles that this country stands for. But, when Congress added under God to the pledge they violated those principles. And I will not stand and show respect for an act of discrimination. To insist that I stand would be no different than changing the words of the pledge to say, 'one nation, under white rule' and insisting that blacks stand and show respect for this version. It is because I love the principles on which this country was founded that I will not stand for their denigration and destruction."

Or some reasonable approximation thereof.

Jayhawker Soule

And are there any responsibilities associated with the indescriminant promotion of such a tactic? So, for example, to what extent can you, and will you, be there to handle the possible consequences of taking such a self-isolating, albeit noble, stand?

beoba

Good luck, I suck at public speaking. :/

Defiant Heretic

I've done that before, although my explanation wasn't quite so eloquent.

It was more along the lines of “I don’t support the domestic policy.”
(This was pre-under god ruling)

uhcord

I've been doing that ever since I became an atheist. This year I hadn't had any questions asked till today.

My teacher reaction to me and this other kid that stays seated was ...

"Aren't you required to atleast stand?"

Which we both responded with a "No."

No more inquiry took place after that. *shrug* Maybe tommarow their will be a discussion.

Mecha_Dude

I just recite the "toot your own orn" pledge

4th Generation Atheist

I respect all those who are brave enough to remain seated, but I add my own encouragement: take martial arts lessons.

uhcord

I havn't really had any real bad reactions, except from one teacher who told me to move to another country like Afghanistan (plus a lot more other fundy type of stuff).

She tried to make a huge big scene about it.

So naturally, I tell her why I do not stand (you know the drill) and pretty much humiliated her. (class went "oooooo", like when someone gets punched hard or "told off") She left me alone after that.

4th Generation Atheist

Creepy that the teacher would even say something like that. Where were her manners?....oh, yeah, I see you're in Virginia, one of the epicenters of this lunacy.

Alonzo Fyfe

I admit that I wrote that first post in the heat of passion when I had a very short span of free time.

To be honest, I just cannot see myself standing and showing respect for a room full of people who are doing nothing less than calling me the moral equivalent of a rebel/separationist, of a tyrant and those that support them, and of perpetrators of all manner of injustice.

To launch those insults is bad enough.

To do so as a part of an official government-approved (required) ceremony is something intollerable.

And to go so far as to require that I stand and show respect for those who are doing this falls well within the boundary of the insanely ludicrous.

But that's just me.

Sometimes, I wish I was back in high school again.

(Or a teacher -- where I could simply announce that I am not going to lead 90% of my class in a ritual insult of the other 10% in the name of patriotism. That it is wrong for a teacher to do such things.)