Actually, the 'Pledge of Allegiance' was introduced during the Second Red Scare of the late 1940s, through the 1950s I can remember having to recite it as a school kid.I think all countries nowadays have their rituals for exacting 'patriotism'/loyalty to the State. And people in all countries are conditioned from childhood to view the State as a parental figure, e.g. the 'Fatherland', the 'Mother Land',etc. And any external criticism of 'Mommy' tends to bring out a hostile reaction.

It all began when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. Since then, it's been one boatload of religious loonies after another!

In this case, not all of America is to blame. The (substitute) teacher who got rattled when her authority was threatened is the first problem. The school administration that didn't know how to deal with conflict is the second. And the law enforcement officers who saw a black child as a threat is the third. (At least I think he was black. That is my perception based on a different source where I read about this situation.) These are all American problems, I suppose, but in this case they produced a "fustercluck" of epic proportions.

Don't blame me. I voted for HER.

As a lifelong Democrat, I have been fighting for civil rights, minorities, women's rights, women's right to control our bodies, gay rights, peace (anti-war), education, against gun violence, protecting the Earth, clean water and air, housing for the poor, etc. my entire adult life.