John Francis wrote:
That's an incredibly naive viewpoint.
Speaking from experience, I can assure you that you will get all sorts
of derogatory remarks aimed at you should you not join in with the masses.
(Not to mention the peer pressure inherent in any such group).
Personally I find the whole spectacle of a class of schoolchildren
reciting any pledge by rote, without really thinking about what they
are saying, to be eerily reminiscent of Red China in the days of Mao.
-----------------
I agree with your last statement. Regarding the first statement I say 'So
what?".
If one acts/does not act, participates/does not participate based on their
conscientious belief, then that belief damn well better be well founded and
strong enough to put up with a little ridicule or heckling. Not that the
ridicule and heckling is justified. It's wrong and unkind, but making the
choice to be different than the crowd at large has always been that way.
Tom C.
P.S. as usual I think we've beat this thing all over the place, and I'll do
my part to gracefully let the subject die out. As ERN noted, we've gone way
way way off topic from the original post and even on that specific subject,
we likely don't know what we're talking about. :)
