As a young boy in grade school, we had to stand each day and swear our pledge of allegiance to the United States flag. One day I came to realize that I did not know what the United States represented or what other countries might represent; I refused to stand and swear my allegiance.
My mother was called and I was removed from the school. I awaited punishment from my father when he returned home from work.
My father arrived and I trembled anticipating my punishment. He first asked my mother what happened, he then sat with me and asked me what happened. He then asked me, why!
I explained to him that I do not know anything about why the United States is any better than any other country. I can not swear my allegiance to something I don't know much about when another country might be better in some way.
My father thought for a few minutes and then told me: "You aren't old enough to know the benefits of how we live in the United States, but someday you will."
Nothing more was said to me and my father contacted the school and told them that they will continue to provide his son with an education and they will not force him to pledge his allegiance; so my mother told me. I do not know exactly what was said but I was not forced to pledge my allegiance any time thereafter.
Less than a year later, the pledge of allegiance was removed as part of public education.
I have since learned of many benefits of our political structure, and its weaknesses. I have served six years in the United States Navy voluntarily. I certainly rejoice in the openness and general acceptance of US citizen diversity.
Our duty to our country is to ever be vigilant regarding our strengths and weaknesses to protect our Rights and Security. Freedom is more than the right to complain, it is a requirement to provide meaningful solutions.
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The People of the United States needs to establish ethical management of the National Security Agency (NSA)
Big Business and Special Interests currently control the United States, not our citizens. Corrupt practices continue to occur daily; with little or no accountability. Back room agreements continue because of our Representatives rights needing to be protected.
I fully support the protection of our rights, and that includes our rights to be fully represented by our elected officials. A person with no money has as much right to have desires and exclaim their ideals; more so than any Corporation. Yet corporations direct the actions of people, and people lobby our representatives. Heartless corporations have to some degree taken over our country.
Couple corporate-influence of our representatives with foreign lobby groups, and our representatives have little choice but to act counter to the desires of the United States People. To do otherwise is to commit political suicide. To win in today's political climate a representative needs a great deal of money for staffing, the media, and pandering.
We need not sacrifice Freedoms to gain Security; a detailed account is provided for National Security Agency (NSA) management that would representatively and "ethically" police our politicians and everyone working with our government.
http://360.yahoo.com/jamesbdunn?p=57
Please voice your concerns and solicit support to help us regain our democracy. The link below provides links to our Senators and Congressmen. Certainly contact your own representatives, but share your concerns with all United States representatives.
http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm
James Dunn
Concerned citizen of a failing democracy
