Is Allegiance a Convenience?

Today when I was driving around town, I stopped at a stoplight and noticed an interesting bumper sticker on the car in front of me. It read, "I pledge allegiance, not thoughtless obedience." Obviously this sticker is referring to the pledge of allegiance, a topic that I blogged about in the beginning of the year. From this sticker, it seems as if the person agrees with the meaning and thought behind the pledge, but doesn't necessarily agree with the way that it is implemented and executed within our society. He is telling the world that he is SINCERELY dedicated and loyal towards his country, and not just saying so because of routine or because other people tell him to be. I agree with him in that many children simply recite the pledge everyday out of memory, without even understanding it's meaning. However, I still think the pledge is an important tradition, and a good reminder of all the blessings that we have in this country.

All of this made me wonder why we even have a pledge in the first place. I know that the U.S. is one of the few countries that has both a national anthem and a pledge of allegiance. After some research, I discovered that the man who wrote the pledge, Francis Bellamy, desired to "instill into the minds of our American youth a love for their country and the principles on which it was founded, and create in them an ambition to carry on with the ideals which the early founders wrote into The Constitution." (from Margarette S. Miller's I Pledge Allegiance) I think that Francis' motives were solid, but how realistic are the benefits of reciting the pledge? I think that kids saying the pledge won't make or break the country's future, nor the loyalty and allegiance of it's citizens. However, it is a good way to instill patriotism into our daily lives and insure the identity of the American people.

Do you see any benefits of having a Pledge of Allegiance? If so, what benefits? Is there a better way for people to show their allegiance and patriotism to our country? Is it necessary to show allegiance to the United States in the first place?