Not only did the E Pluribus Unum motto change, the words "under god" we’re added to the pledge of allegiance. My husband and I were both old enough to be annoyed as hell at the time and to this day we refuse to say those two words when reciting the pledge. The original pledge was to a country, not a god.
Incidentally, at school in the 40s and 50s we were forced to stand, face the flag hanging in every classroom or assembly, and pledge allegiance to it. I don’t think public schools do that anymore. I began school with a 48 star flag, then Alaska and later Hawaii stars were added. For the information of anyone who cares, Billy Graham was an ass who pushed his way into immense government power without being elected to any office.
I went to grade school in the '60's. At that time, we were still required to do the pledge every morning. My parents were hippies who taught me well. I refused to stand or say the pledge. I never got in trouble, so my guess is that the school talked to my parents, who probably said "so what?"
It was years later that I really grokked the somewhat paradoxical reality that A) dissenting was a very patriotic choice, and B) in spite of the many ways this country is horrible, it is a testament to our interest in civil liberties that I had the option to dissent. I leaned this from a conversation with a South African man who now lives in the US because he had to either leave home or end up in jail for his refusal to do military service which, at that point in time, had as its primary mission the enforcement of Apartheid. That was as an adult; as a child, his refusal to do their equivalent of our pledge was not an option.
That "in god we trust" colossal fuck up has disturbed me for decades. I don't believe in god, wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him if he even existed (because he's more than likely a handsy predatory prevert who catcalls and bullies women and girls while planning his next rape), and I resent being told who to trust.
Been recently reading yet another book on the Tudor period. As it happens, Henry VIII was quite a casual Protestant, just like later Elizabeth I was. It was Edward VI who was an extreme, unrelenting Protestant. Considering he killed more Catholics than Mary I killed Protestants, she seems to have only gotten the "bloody" moniker for the sake of being a woman.
Not only did the E Pluribus Unum motto change, the words "under god" we’re added to the pledge of allegiance. My husband and I were both old enough to be annoyed as hell at the time and to this day we refuse to say those two words when reciting the pledge. The original pledge was to a country, not a god.
Incidentally, at school in the 40s and 50s we were forced to stand, face the flag hanging in every classroom or assembly, and pledge allegiance to it. I don’t think public schools do that anymore. I began school with a 48 star flag, then Alaska and later Hawaii stars were added. For the information of anyone who cares, Billy Graham was an ass who pushed his way into immense government power without being elected to any office.
I went to grade school in the '60's. At that time, we were still required to do the pledge every morning. My parents were hippies who taught me well. I refused to stand or say the pledge. I never got in trouble, so my guess is that the school talked to my parents, who probably said "so what?"
It was years later that I really grokked the somewhat paradoxical reality that A) dissenting was a very patriotic choice, and B) in spite of the many ways this country is horrible, it is a testament to our interest in civil liberties that I had the option to dissent. I leaned this from a conversation with a South African man who now lives in the US because he had to either leave home or end up in jail for his refusal to do military service which, at that point in time, had as its primary mission the enforcement of Apartheid. That was as an adult; as a child, his refusal to do their equivalent of our pledge was not an option.
That "in god we trust" colossal fuck up has disturbed me for decades. I don't believe in god, wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him if he even existed (because he's more than likely a handsy predatory prevert who catcalls and bullies women and girls while planning his next rape), and I resent being told who to trust.
James you and I both need to thank Jeff Tiedrich.
Reading these out loud to my husband right now.
Making too much money hitting a ball with a stick! All professional sports pay is way too much. I watch none of it except some Olympics.
You’re missing some ballet level moves. Athletics are stand ins for battles between city-states.
Gratuitous violence.
Football....
Hardly gratuitous I think. But that’s fine if you think so.
Been recently reading yet another book on the Tudor period. As it happens, Henry VIII was quite a casual Protestant, just like later Elizabeth I was. It was Edward VI who was an extreme, unrelenting Protestant. Considering he killed more Catholics than Mary I killed Protestants, she seems to have only gotten the "bloody" moniker for the sake of being a woman.
Ben Shapiro couldn't arouse ... damp nethers ... medical condition. I'm dying here. Gotta wipe off my phone.