From: Brian Phillips (deepbluehalo@earthlink.net)
Date: Fri Jun 28 2002 - 12:15:01 MDT
>From: Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com>
>Eli, some of us can actually remember standing in class for an
>explicit Christian prayer at the start of the day--in my case that
>was a Mississippi public elementary school in the 60s. We've made
>/some/ progress at least. Next on the chopping block is the whole
>idea of pledging one's allegiance to a damned piece of cloth in
>the first place.
it appears Brian Williams replied
<<"and to the Republic for which it stands"
It's about considerably more than a piece of cloth...
Former Marines get picky about these things...>>>
Mr. Williams,
Not greenside myself (blue rather). So I have the right
to speak to you on this.. assuming you haven't taken a
bullet eh?
Frankly it is just a piece of cloth. The days when the colors
had meaning, if they ever did, are long gone. And the worst
part of it is, the colors are a truncheon used to enforce group
think on those who are most malleable.
This really didn't hit home until 9-11 when I saw this revolting
mob mentality overtake my professional associates and watch
individuals who never thought about the Cole or the barracks
in Beirut suddenly start listening to speechs by you-know-who
about why America is under attack. In a recent Admiral's Call
the Old Lady read a speech by the skipper of the JFK, upon
the commencing of airstrikes against the 'Stan. (I actually
am allowed to use contemptible words about the speech
by the JFK c.o. :(
It was all I could do to look impassive and stay in my seat.
Then they wrap the flag around this shit before, after and during.
Out in Monterey a full bird in the army is becoming the first
case in a half-hundred years to go to court martial over the
contemptible words provision used to muzzle those who
have the MOST right to speak freely. (Letter to the editor,
didn't put his rank in, really slammed on you-know-who).
More than a piece of cloth my ass. That's all it is
while this crap continues.
My advice to ANY parent is as follows.
Quite apart from the invisible friend issues of the pledge
of allegiance I would strongly encourage one's children to,
on principle, reserve loyalty and not speak a pledge or oath.
The "Republic" has a way of using one oath as a way to
extort other oaths, which leaves one the choice of being
a traitor to your word, or being a servant to those who have
liberty and justice for none.
Brian Phillips
"I assure you Chauvelin, I am a very good friend of the Republic"
-the Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy-
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