Maybe not get up and leave but consider that if someone just didn't come back or stopped coming because of it but would not feel comfortable saying so, you might never know the reason.
Yes, every time I visit "they" do this ritual. At one time lack of flag in meeting room did not stop them , they "waved" smart phone with the flag on screen. It is still free county but I find it hypocritical to even assume it would be OK not to participate in it , especially after what is happening to the fellow who "took the knee". And yes, one of the many reasons I am "just a visitor". I find such ritual very cheap way to "publicly display patriotism", nothing else. 73 Shirley
I have to disagree about the Pledge being "exclusionary." Perhaps I have a different view on the matter as I have lived in, or been on extend visits to, foreign countries for goodly chunks of my life. In many of these nations the folks there did not hesitate to perform their national anthems, or "pledges" to thier flags or emperor (in one case). I did not feel "excluded." I was an American in THEIR country. In every incident I stood, respectfully, while they performed their anthem/pledge/ceremony. I do not see where it is too much to ask a foreign citizen to do so here while we affirm our allegiance to our nation and, in doing so, we do not bear them ill will or malice. However, when someone starts telling me that I am not allowed to love my own nation because I might "offend" someone? I start to get a bit grumpy about it. IMHO
I disagree. There is nothing exclusionary about it. If you are a member of a US ARC, then the Pledge of Allegiance is appropriate. Pheel
