04:05 pm: Patriotic peer pressure
I recently attended a high school drumline exhibition for Suzanne's cousin Josh. It was crazy awesome, people were twirling sabers and rifles and flags, there were xylophones, dozens of drummers with their drums strapped to their bodies and the show closed with a guy and his drumset fixed into a gyroscope thingy and he played while spinning in three directions! Much more impressive than I could have expected.
Anyway, just before the first team went on, the whole crowd did the "stand up, hand on heart, face the flag" thing while the national anthem was played. Now, I never go to any kind of sports events or things like that so I haven't been in that position in many years. Hard to believe, yes, it took me by surprise too.
But what really hit me was how uncomfortable I felt with the whole thing. The bottom line was I just didn't want to do it. I ended up standing withOUT my hand on my heart and sort of mumbling through the words, (though I do in fact know the words) and even that felt a little silly.
I'm a big fan of my country, wouldn't want to live anywhere else, but that kind of display just feels so false and drone-like. Do I dare just sit quietly while hundreds of people around me sing the anthem or recite the pledge of allegiance? Is it better to honestly make the choice not to join in or to falsely recite out of obligation and the fear of the crowd's evil eye? It bothers me that children are forced to say the pledge of allegiance every morning, if you need to sell your country to it's citizens by sheer brain-washed indoctrination it doesn't show much faith in your product.
Much like prayer, I get the distinct impression that so many people use these old familiar recitations to convince others that they are patriotic and pious rather than out of a sincere desire to express true patriotism and piety.
It just bugs me.
Current Mood: 
anxious