It is divisive to love our country and respect the most amazing, freedom of the individual, government created by mankind.
Unbelievable.
You see how Germans could be swayed to think one type of person was lower than cockroaches and needed extermination. Now we see for sure how successful propaganda is, and how critical thinking is necessary for freedom.
Would Ben Franklin sob over this, or would he marvel that the USA lasted 250 years?
When I was in High School I was a troubled kid. Alcoholic parents, domestic violence, low level income, and we had just moved from a rural school district, where I made many friends to an urban district where I knew nobody.
In saying the pledge one morning (school wide over the PA) I was disgruntled and didn’t feel like saying the pledge. So I threw the finger (yes THAT one) at my (very nice) homeroom teacher.
Guess what? She saw me! She thought or at least said, that I had disrespected the flag. I didn’t dare tell her that I was throwing the finger at HER! She immediately sent me to the vice principal’s office. We had a “dean of boys” so this was a level up.
I figured I was in BIG trouble.
The vice principal never admonished me one bit. Instead he explained to me about the men who had died so that I was free to attend school and live free in this free country. That the flag was a symbol for our country. It stood as an example for all those who had sacrificed for US!
It was like he was telling me a story not giving me a lecture. He was very sincere.
Then I was excused, no admonishment, no punishment.
I remain impressed to this day.