Re: Child escorted out of class by police for sitting during the pledge, mother outra
Not everyone is a Redskins fan.
Similarly not everyone experiences a country the same way.
You're twisting the analogy.
Every citizen of the country is a citizen of this country, just as every redskins fan is a redskins fan.
Some redskins fans may be die hard homers. Some may think the team never makes a good decision. Some redskins fans may be poor. Some redksins fans may be rich. Some may've grew up loving them. Some may've just switched to the team. Some may hate Dallas, some may hate all other teams, and some may not have a care about anyone else. Some may be black. Some may be white. Some may be old. Some may be young.
But one thing they generally all share (there's always some in any group that generally detach from the norm) would be that fight song. Its something that would combine all, even for a short time.
Similarly. Some citizens could think the US could do no wrong. Some could think we make a TON of mistakes. Some could be rich, some poor. Some democrat, some republican. Some black, some white. Some who can't stand the middle east, others that dislike all foriegners, and others who have great respect for foriegn countries. But one thing they'd all generally share would be the country they are citizens of, and the traditions of said country such as the pledge, the anthem, etc.
That's pretty scary to me.
Which doesn't surprise me and its going to just be a difference we're going to have. You are generally paranoid. You are the very definition of a hyper intellectual that thinks he's "Better" than everyone else and so much "smarter" than everyone else to be above such notions as believing perhaps that ones country is generally a good thing, or being proud of ones country, or being happy to be a member of said country other than on a simply rational level because to do so is to be mindless or foolish or in your mind seemingly unable to also be rational about it.
It is much, in my mind, to the love one has for a sibling or a lover. No human is perfect, yet we love these people all the same. We learn to love your mother, your father, your siblings from the time you grow up. You love them if they've messed up in their lives and done drugs, or if they cheated on a test, or if they were a bully when they were younger, and on and on. Does that necessarily mean you ignore their faults? That you don't try to fix their faults? That you don't learn from those mistakes? That you don't hold them accountable? No, it doesn't. It does mean you love them though and when push comes to shove, they are your family.
Personally, I view the country in a similar if albiet slightly more detached way. You think that's a bad thing, that we're foolish or scary for daring to have that kind of notion. To actually think this is a good country, to love this country, and to believe its a good thing for a child to feel as well as they're growing up. I don't, and in part because of the very ability that you have the chance to make your claims and say such a notion is scary.
I don't think its even unpatriotic for you to say its scary. I just think its rather sad and founded far more in your own belief that you're smarter than everyone else.
) and instantly feel somewhat at home, familiar, and connected. Likewise, a kid could go from one school and another and if nothing else feel that slight bit of normality by the commonality of standing up, putting his hand on his heart, and saying those words with all the other children. 
