I pledge allegiance… that’s something we’ve all heard. It’s something we’ve all recited. But mostly we just recite it from memory in front of a classroom or stadium, with no thought to what we’re actually saying. You see, “I pledge allegiance” means that you are swearing (pledging) loyalty (allegiance) to the object, usually the flag of the United States. Which, of course, is all well and good. Except for one thing. Why pledge allegiance to a flag? The flag is the symbol of this country, yes. It is the “Stars and Stripes”, the standard which represents the fight for freedom. Of course it means something. But allegiance? No, not really. I am not loyal to a flag. I am not loyal to a corrupt system of government. I am American. I am not “unpatriotic”. I do not hate my country. But I am also not delusional, either.
So, if I don’t pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth, regardless of what it represents, what do I pledge allegiance to? Quite simply, myself. Now, before you start thinking I’m arrogant and self-centered, let me explain.
In all things, we must be true to ourselves. We must maintain our true identity. Pledging allegiance to myself means that above all, I swear loyalty to my own moral code, my sense of direction in life. I strive to maintain my own moral compass, no matter what insanity society tries to throw at me. I keep in mind that, no matter what, when it comes down to it, I have myself to answer to. I have to be happy with my own decisions. I have to accept my own faults. And I have to face the consequences of my own shortcomings.
Does that have anything to do with being “un-American?” Nope, not at all. I still think that America is one of the greatest countries. We have more freedoms than most other countries. We have more opportunities than most other countries. But a flag is just a piece of cloth. The ideals, the leadership, the rules and laws of a country is what makes it what it is. And many of those are something that I cannot abide. So, while I am not un-American, I am not a patriot, either. And that doesn’t bother me. I don’t need to be, because it has nothing to do with who I am as a person. It has nothing to do with my identity.
So, next time you raise your right hand, consider what you’re pledging, and who you’re pledging it to.
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