Turns Out Mr. Wikileaks is Mentally Unstable

[Elok]

Yes, it's more like a mantra than a jingle.

Well, I've actually recited that "mantra" for years, and I'm not all that patriotic, jingoistic, or fanatically supportive of my government. None of my classmates were either, AFAICT. It would seem it doesn't work, if that's what it was intended for.

[Hauldren Collider]

As for being bullied into it by teachers, I can say that there are several teachers I have had that got upset at kids not saying the pledge, and they all eventually got themselves in trouble with higher-ups. It's very easy to complain to the administration about them.

[DriXnaK]

I think it's pathetic that you have no loyalty to this country. You should go to another country if that's the case.

[Elok]

Did I say I like another country better? No. I rather like the Bill of Rights, and have a natural fondness for my homeland, but I don't believe America is necessarily superior to any other nation, or that we were chosen by God as a beacon of whatever, or anything like that.

[DriXnaK]

I'm an atheist and we are in fact superior to other nations. If you're just going to live here for the benefits then get the **** out loser.

[Asher]

"monotheism" isn't an establishment of religion. There is no First Reformed Church of Monotheism. Atheism isn't a religion either.

You have to be kidding.

[Elok]

I'm an atheist and we are in fact superior to other nations. If you're just going to live here for the benefits then get the **** out loser.

Superior how? We do some things better than most other nations, but we imprison way too many people, we're generally in bad health, we spend about twenty times more on our military than we actually need to, we're so deep in debt that the human mind has a hard time comprehending the amount of money we owe...probably Euros can chime in with other problems like they do in every thread. We're not doing too badly, but we could certainly do better, and silly self-worship can only hold us back.

Also, make me, loser.

[Jon Miller]

Our debt is bad, but only ~100% of our GDP. It has been more (during WW2). It is increasing at an alarming rate though.

JM

[Dinner]

JM, do you think the deficit commission, which suspiciously is supposed to issue its report right after the election, will actually change much as far as the deficit goes?

[Elok]

Our debt is bad, but only ~100% of our GDP. It has been more (during WW2). It is increasing at an alarming rate though.

JM

Yeah, I'd be a lot more accepting of the massive deficit if we got it in a knock-down, drag-out fight with a totalitarian sociopath who posed a genuine threat to world security. First because it'd be necessary, second because eventually we'd corner the sociopath in a bunker, he'd blow his brains out and we'd be able to drop spending down to normal levels.

I'm not so happy about subsidizing an eternal attempt to feed the Islamic world democracy at gunpoint.

[DriXnaK]

Wow I actually agree with Elok on something. Spreading Democracy doesn't work in muslim countries and never will. Japan and Germany were already advanced westernized nations with a high level of infrastructure and technology and a totally different culture and circumstance. What we're doing now is never going to work. We're better off just taking the gloves off and going all out. If we see someone that needs to be killed, kill him and be done with it. Destroy the target and get out. If it becomes a threat again, deal with it before it can take off. If they want to live in the stone age still fine, just keep it in their border.

[Aeson]

It's clear the pledge (along with Ronald Regan and hiding under our desks at school) saved us from the commies

(And what could be less creepy than kids hiding under a desk with Ronald Regan while pledging allegiance to the thing atop the pole?)

[MikeH]

As for being bullied into it by teachers, I can say that there are several teachers I have had that got upset at kids not saying the pledge, and they all eventually got themselves in trouble with higher-ups. It's very easy to complain to the administration about them.

Well, your school IS the only one in the country, so your experience is exactly replicated across the country.

[MikeH]

It's clear the pledge (along with Ronald Regan and hiding under our desks at school) saved us from the commies

[MOBIUS]

Have you ever actually been to America

Yes I have, quite extensively, actually.

No, that does not follow. At all.

Yes, it does actually, you yourself even said that McD's jingle would have increased sales. Why do you think companies spend billions of $$$ on advertising otherwise...!?

Reciting a religiously inspired pledge every single day you are at school is therefore bound to have a brainwashing influence on the more susceptible ones. I would say that it goes without saying, but that's the whole point - it has to be said to work!