Patriotic Comment

(from 2015)

This was written on June 11, 2015, in response to a discussion of the American pledge of allegiance. Some areas in America were trying to insist that school children recite it, although the Supreme Court had ruled to allow conscientious exemptions. The main American court cases on the issue were fought by Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 1940s.

I have a certain interest in the history of the religious group that fought this issue, and can recommend quite an old book now – David Manwaring ‘Render Unto Caesar’ for details. But I was interested to see in the news that a number of atheists are also now voicing objections to the wording of the pledge.

But logical thinking seems to escape those who try and force conformity. If someone genuinely believes from the heart that reciting a form of words or saluting a national emblem represents their feelings, then obviously they will do it because they want to, they believe it – no question.

But if someone genuinely objects - for whatever reason - then trying to force them doesn’t alter what they are inside. Even if you were able to sledge-hammer someone into compromising their beliefs – and this is one of those issues where very few will compromise - any forced actions would make it meaningless. It wouldn’t indicate any genuine commitment. It would be like a frightened ordinary German citizen during the last war mouthing “Heil Hitler” just to keep out of trouble. And just because someone appears to enthusiastically perform a patriotic exercise doesn’t prove they believe it. They could be a crook or a terrorist and simply lie. So again – to my mind, any act of coercion makes the exercise pointless.

This is written partly from a UK perspective where national feelings are not shown by forced patriotic exercises. You might argue that the UK is a far less patriotic country than America. We don’t have flags on houses generally – unless it is election time or there is a special sports event featuring a national team from one of the four constituent countries, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Then (slipping into joking mode) patriotic activities might include fights between rival fans – but again, that is a purely voluntary exercise...

This is a country where the playing of the National Anthem at the end of theater and cinema performances was ultimately dropped in England because the audience always stampeded towards the exits to avoid it.  Wales, Scotland and Ireland are a little different, but even so (becoming serious again) the legal issues dealt with by the American Supreme Court have never arisen here. 

The American legal system to its credit did deal with these issues decades ago. However, that does mean that those in any position of “power” should know their own laws and uphold freedom of conscience in such issues – whatever their personal feelings may be.