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FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

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Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#101

Post by tombert »

dghlsakjg wrote: post #93
tombert wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, which schools don't do it? I've never heard of a school not doing it. Are there states that don't do the pledge? Even if it's not strictly "mandatory" there can be substantial pressure in conservative areas. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47095381

I definitely never did it in high school in Denver, nor did any of the other schools that my friends went to in the city. I don’t have a list of schools for you. Sure peer pressure can be a thing (at the school I went to you would have been bullied for doing the pledge), but it is pretty firmly established law that a student has every right to not participate and not be pressured to participate by public school staff…

Interesting, didn't know that was a thing in Denver. No need for a list of schools.

In my case the pressure came from my teachers and the principal. I never got in any official trouble but I was sent to the principal's office for refusing to say it and it required a phone call with my dad for them to begrudgingly let me continue to not say it.

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#103

Post by techblueberry »

Kapura wrote: post #100
techblueberry wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'i thought that this country took "freedom of speech" seriously.' What in god's name in anything that's happened in the past 10 years gave you that idea?

twitter's continued existence

Oh yes Twitter, bastion of free speech, not an extension of the censorship arm of the government at all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_Biden_laptop_controvers...

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#104

Post by thrance »

yed wrote: post #61

Fun fact: the Pledge of Allegiance was written by an avowed socialist [0] and was intended to counter the individualistic and capitalistic tendencies he saw in American culture. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bellamy

The original pledge was quite different, and indeed sounds more socialist:

> I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Also, did you know children had to do a "Bellamy Salute" to the flag? That was removed during WW2 for obvious reasons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamy_salute

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#105

Post by sillywalk »

rcdemski wrote: post #74
tombert wrote: post #62

When I was in sixth grade I found out (I am not sure how actually) that I didn’t have to say the pledge if I didn’t want to. I didn’t (and don’t) believe in God, and I didn’t believe in the “under God” part of the pledge, so I decided that I wouldn’t stand for the pledge anymore. This was an extremely conservative area, and so my teachers were very upset. I told them I don’t have to say the pledge if I don't want (an…

The “under god” part always rubbed me wrong. I was surprised to learn it was added relatively recently in 1954. I wish we could go back to the prior one.

There was a good book[0] about where that came from. Big business and religious leaders joined forced to fight the New Deal.

[0] One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America Kevin M. Kruse https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22928900-one-nation-unde...

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#106

Post by tzs »

tolerance wrote: post #24

How might this campaign appear under an administration ran by a Democrat?

It would probably be mostly the same, except maybe not suggesting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Except for that most of the kinds of things it gave as examples are close to the kind of things you'd find your local PBS or NPR station.

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#107

Post by wakawaka28 »

HardwareLust wrote: post #9

Nothing says you're selling an inferior product better than having to propagandize people into believing in it.

Lots of people take for granted that their government exists and doesn't suck as bad as those in other places. Say what you want about it, but every successful country cultivates a national culture and identity. This is especially important for countries where the people are very heterogeneous in other identity facets. If people feel no particular affinity for the country because they are rarely encouraged to stop and think about it, how exactly would anyone be found who is willing to defend the country itself and thus their own existence which they take for granted?

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#108

Post by wakawaka28 »

Buttons840 wrote: post #49

Does the pledge of allegiance actually do anything? I can't even remember if I did it in school. I first thought "oh, my State must not have done the pledge in school", but after more reflection I think I did but just doing remember.

It reminds kids that they live in the United States, and that the country has values, and that they will be expected to defend the country as part of the social contract. I don't know if other countries have pledges like this but on the surface it seems OK to me. I think it also inspires worthwhile conversations about what we owe to the country (or not).

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#109

Post by conception »

Aeolun wrote: post #73
tombert wrote: post #62

When I was in sixth grade I found out (I am not sure how actually) that I didn’t have to say the pledge if I didn’t want to. I didn’t (and don’t) believe in God, and I didn’t believe in the “under God” part of the pledge, so I decided that I wouldn’t stand for the pledge anymore. This was an extremely conservative area, and so my teachers were very upset. I told them I don’t have to say the pledge if I don't want (an…

Are there really parents that would force their children to say it anyway? This feels like such a bizarre thing to have a fight over.

What? This is incredible if you don’t think a sizable portion of parents in America would force their children to say it.

Re: FCC asks stations for "pro-America" programming, like daily Pledge of Allegiance

#110

Post by wakawaka28 »

yed wrote: post #61

Fun fact: the Pledge of Allegiance was written by an avowed socialist [0] and was intended to counter the individualistic and capitalistic tendencies he saw in American culture. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bellamy

Great information! I assumed it was some random patriotic thing, but this sounds sinister. It's probably not a big deal but I don't really know how much influence it actually has. Most people seem to see it as tolerable or cheesy, not some great and worthwhile gesture.
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