Non USC - Oath of Allegiance...

[Ephesia 0]

LOL! Thank you, sir. You started my morning with a great laugh.

I like a good singsong like the next man but my allegiance is to Great Britain and her oversesa dependences, however when a former colony wants to raise it's flag and give a bit of the old pomp and circumstance then as a guest with a Green Card I'll do my bit to fit in. Don't want to border on the sychophantical and go too far by learning all the lyrics, raise a toast and do a bit of back slapping with the buddy next to me. That would be too over the top.

[Ladylethal 12]

When I was a teen studying in a HS in AZ, and on Mondays we had to pledge the oath to the flag, I'd just stand with everyone else and stay silent, respecting their oath, but I didn't accompany them in it.

[RayandJay2007 0]

Im living in the Philippines and when they play their national anthem I always stand at attention with my hands closed together..........Thats what I do, thats what I would expect from a foreigner visiting America.

Jay Ray

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Hi Aiden

personally i think the whole country could do with a little less oath swearing and anthem singing. but that's just me.

my favourite bit of any gaelic football match is when people give up on singing the national anthem and start yelling their heads off for the match to start, long before the end of the song. My USC OH couldn't believe it, but thought it was great. They're only symbols. People shouldn't get so touchy about them if you ask me.

[mox 298]

Hi Aiden

personally i think the whole country could do with a little less oath swearing and anthem singing. but that's just me.

Word!

I'm a USC. I admit to getting choked up when the Star Spangled Banner is played at a sporting event, but I really have no use for the Pledge of Allegiance. Patriotism is too complex an issue to be summed up in a pledge that really means nothing anyway. I'm glad most schools don't do it anymore.

[Cdnwmn 0]

I stand at attention, hands by side.

I asked my son what he does in school. He's 16. He says he stands there with hand over heart but has his hand out about 6 inches. He doesn't recite the oath.

[aidan80 9]

Hi Aiden

personally i think the whole country could do with a little less oath swearing and anthem singing. but that's just me.

my favourite bit of any gaelic football match is when people give up on singing the national anthem and start yelling their heads off for the match to start, long before the end of the song. My USC OH couldn't believe it, but thought it was great. They're only symbols. People shouldn't get so touchy about them if you ask me.

Hi Poiteen,

I agree (no offense intended to anyone) but people here in the US take the flag/anthem related things here very, very seriously. I agree why sing when you can shout it out...

[Mags 112]

When I was a teen studying in a HS in AZ, and on Mondays we had to pledge the oath to the flag, I'd just stand with everyone else and stay silent, respecting their oath, but I didn't accompany them in it.

At my 13 y/o son's school they do the oath every morning before classes start but he doesn't have to. He just stands there instead until everyone has finished.

[bora bora 1]

I'm a middle school teacher and we say the pledge every morning. I noticed that my class with few Americans don't sing (there are a lot of Mexicans, some Haitians and an English girl).

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

Whenever I hear the "Star Spangled Banner" I stand at attention, put my hand on my hand and sing all the lyrics. Then I get tears welling up inside of my eyes. It has been this way since I was the smallest child watching the TV channel sign on at 5 am as they play the national anthem. I hope this is how it is for the rest of you also.

The Pledge of Allegiance need only be recited by citizens, but non-citizens should be respectful.

The Oath of Citizenship means that you renounce all ties to any other country. You can be sympathetic towards your homeland, as I am fond of many countries (Philippines, England, Australia, Canada, Israel, Mexico, etc....) But it means that if worse comes to worse in the time of war you would defend the United States against any country, including your country of birth. This is what it means and if it does not mean that to you then this is not the country for you and you are hear for less then genuine reasons.

Edited November 29, 2007 by don luce

[aidan80 9]

The Oath of Citizenship means that you renounce all ties to any other country. You can be sympathetic towards your homeland, as I am fond of many countries (Philippines, England, Australia, Canada, Israel, Mexico, etc....) But it means that if worse comes to worse in the time of war you would defend the United States against any country, including your country of birth. This is what it means and if it does not mean that to you then this is not the country for you and you are hear for less then genuine reasons.[/size]

I don't think I'll be taking the Oath of Citizenship anytime soon. I doubt I could renounce my ties to Ireland. If (like it'd ever happen ) worst came to worst and the US declared war against Ireland I could never side with any nation other than my own. Anyway that would never happen and if it did I've no clue as to where we'd hold the entire US military after their surrender... Ireland is a small place, we'd just have to let them go as long as they promised not to do it again!

[pucklechurch 0]

This is what it means and if it does not mean that to you then this is not the country for you and you are hear for less then genuine reasons.

Utter twaddle. Many people have reasons to be in the US but I don't think we all want to join their military and fight against our former homes and countries just so Don Luce can relax in the belief that we are no longer here for 'less than genuine' reasons!!

[Peikko 1,575]

Twaddle, one of my favourite words. Thanks for that

[pucklechurch 0]

Those of us from England would do well to remember dear old John Stafford Smith who unknowingly wrote the music to the Star Spangled Banner. Actually he was writing the words and melody to a drinking song for the Anacreontic Society in London. At this point he was barely out of his teens!! This very British song, as indigenous to the people of our country as cucumber sandwiches and games of cricket, was meerly adapted by the Yanks some 75 years later.

So when the Americans raise their flag and strike up their anthem it would be nice to recall 'To Anacreon in Heaven' and sing of wine and good company, spirit oneself away from the cheerleeders and glitz and harken back to the gout-ridden smokey environs of an 18th century British Gentlemen's Club.

[catrocks 0]

The Oath of Citizenship means that you renounce all ties to any other country. You can be sympathetic towards your homeland, as I am fond of many countries (Philippines, England, Australia, Canada, Israel, Mexico, etc....) But it means that if worse comes to worse in the time of war you would defend the United States against any country, including your country of birth. This is what it means and if it does not mean that to you then this is not the country for you and you are hear for less then genuine reasons.

Hmm.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if that is true then how do you explain duel citizenship?

I am here because I fell in love with a USC and wanted to be with him, and it made more sense for me to move than him.... so is that not a genuine reason just because I wouldn't want to fight against my birth country? Seems you are very judgmental.

And on that note, I know USCs who would not want to fight in this war anyway because they believe it is wrong. But how can they be here for less than genuine reasons when it's their home country?

You're certainly entitled to your opinion.