Geeeze....! I don't remember the second grade. I do remember my dad was in Vietnam. He sent tapes home instead of writing... he meant well. I was fearful for my dad. People in my town were dying. The news every night on that broken down tv. Scaring the hell out of mom and us. What do i really know as a second grader. We had a lousey Christmas. Food was scarce. I wore old military shoes to school. It was cold and had an old kerosene heater in Our trailer. I failed that grade of school. I was all screwed up. I prayed to God and cried to him. Save my dad. We were abused and we still cried for him. I made sure we had some money and food when i started my family. Heck, some people could say we had it made. Maybe we did. What did i know as a child. I pledged the elegance. I sang the songs. I did anything to stand tall. As a war veteran. I believe in this country. The USA is my home. I love it. I would do it again. As a kid, it requires thought of the child to understand what it means. Its ugly past is a real bummer for a lot of races and cultures. I believe their nose doesn't have to be smeared in it. Today, you are who you are. Not what your ancestors where. Please no disrespect intended. I understand heritage. Mom was 1/2 indian. Dads family were Irish. We are americans now.

I think so. I have never been comfortable with the word/name god in anything. However, I have also never felt comfortable with our country or our government.

I recall thinking that being required (forced) to pledge allegiance seemed similar to what I saw in reels about Hitler that we watched in elementary school. You are not alone in what you sensed as a child.

Why did you feel uncomfortable making the Pledge?

I think kids are the most uninfulanced resources we as adults could ever have. They don't do thing for any real reason and don't limit themselves like we do as adults based on what we have been taught to beleive. So if a small child didnt stand or place their hand over their heart or even take off their hat id see it as a kid being a kid not unpatriotic

Not unpatriotic so much as anti-establishment.

Right on brother!

I don't think that a second-grader (or many adults) really understand what patriotism really means. I understand your behavior. I learned earlier on to fight only he battles that really need fighting and that it does not pay to fight city hall head-on. It gives one the space to be quietly independent.

Faking it is fine. I think that those who blindly follow a nation as dangerous as the US are a little too trusting. A government that kills not only it's own people but it's allies people abroad.
A country that keeps secrets and assassinates overseas leaders is a very very dangerous enemy.

You were right in your beliefs. I prefer to just sing my countries national anthem and prayers not because I believe them but because people who fought for them believed them. I honor their sacrifice and I accommodate their beliefs because I respect their beliefs. In a church I pray when others pray, I sing when others sing, but I think for myself and live for those I love.

As a veteran who has raised my hand and pledged allegiance, I think it is ridiculous to think most civilians appreciate what "allegiance" means, let alone children. Mindless indoctrination irks me now as it did when I was a child. 2nd graders cannot be patriotic.