The infection of society...

[skipthisone]

Ok, I usually do not start threads when I am pissed beyond belief, but I thought I would share this insanity.

My soon to be 3 year old daughter has become quite the master of saying the Pledge of Allegiance (well Republic sounds like wepublic...but you get the idea). Anyway she likes to say it everywhere, to anyone (always with hand on heart mind you). I love it and encourage it.

So my wife was inline at the local grocery store today and my daughter was doing her thing at the top of her lungs most likely. When the woman (woman ha!!, my wife said she may have been 18 tops) behind my wife proceeds to grumble how parents who teach their kids things like that, that are corupting the childs mind should have their kids taken away....Well needless to say my usually quite calm (and actually very liberal) wife...told the girl to mind her own fucking business...

The girl then said "I see a bad parent teaching their kids to be idiots I call it"......

Well my wife and then the cashier both told the woman to butt out...and then my wife laughed at her as she left the line.

Anyway....I was pissed...thought about hunting someone down...instead I am going to write a letter to the paper thanking that cashier for her support....

My biggest point I like to live by, have your political views, stand by your convictions, but when you judge others views it just makes you weak and simple minded. I know a few liberals and conservatives who are like this, that think the other side is some type of great satan.

It takes the great balance we have to make it an interesting and great world.


Oh and PS....I hope that girl gets a tear gas cartridge up the ass the next time she is at a peace rally or something...sorry had to be said.

[Lilith]

Don't be disheartened. Most people in this nation would still have smiled and flirted with your sweet girl, and been impressed that she is so bright.

There are hateful people everywhere and it would be easier if they would all join together to form some party but they don't. Stupidity and being unkind runs across all party lines, socio-economic fields, race, ethnicity, etc. and unfortunately they intermingle with everyone else just to piss us off:p

[jseal]

skipthisone,

A harder task will be teaching your daughter to behave in a civilized manner when she is old enough to sense the discourtesies. That, alas, is a challenge with which my teenagers are still struggling.

[SOULMINER]

I could go on about this for HOURS Skip...I'm with you 100%.
I'm not a big fan of "gung-ho ra ra God bless the USA", but I'm even less a fan of people relentlessly pursuing the undermining of the foundation of pride, compassion and, at times like this, the strength of this great nation. This country has pretty much always been about 1/3's...1/3 for, 1/3 against and 1/3 don't give a shit. We're always in one of those 3 groups and often, if not always, get driven crazy by people in one of the other 1/3's. The moral of your wife's encounter can probably be best summarized as a fine example of the breakdown of the lessons, given from parents to children, about respect. Not only respect for out country, but respect for, in this case, your wife and the "way" your daughter is being raised. It's really none of her goddam business, and I find it absolutely bizarre that some poor misguided, obviously bitter, child would find the recitation or balls-to-the-wall belting out of any standard American pledges or songs as an apparent fault in modern parenting. Can't blame it on the schools, can't blame it on movies or music...all comes back to the moral and ETHICAL fabric woven at home. This young "lady" (and her own family) obviously doesn't share your families view on what is "right or wrong". I guess the only hope in all this is that she's a child (the 18 year old), and once she actually experiences life and realizes that the world isn't black and white her views may change (hopefully!!!)

Oh, and getting off subject SLIGHTLY, I read a news blurb on the net today (can only assume there's a grain of truth in it) that Pepsi is releasing a "patriotic" can with the Pledge of Allegiance on it...."Under God" has been removed though. I think it does actually dovetail rather closely with the situation your wife encountered. Something else for us to ponder.....

[skipthisone]

Thanks for the post SoulMiner

I also heard about the Pepsi deal, but heard they already scrapped it because a group threatened to boycott if they too out the words, so they just scrapped the whole idea.

[SOULMINER]

Well, thank "GOD" for that, huh???? :D

[celticangel]

u only learn by the experiances u face-------there is ignorance,fear and distrust where there is no knowledge and understanding--------------I see this daily in my work and guess its the same the world over. Raising kids to be informed, open minded people is hard enough-----but teenagers are completely different! (my daughter is 14!) They know everything and are so convinced of their infalibility that they will argue black is white!
Any way-------------God bless u'r wee lassie and keep her safe----she has a great role model in u!xxx

[fzzy]

heard the Pepsi rumor as well .... absolutely not true - start to finish .... it apparently got started when Dr. Pepper considered doing a patriotic can that had a different patriotic saying to be part of it (not the pledge) - but they decided against it. ..... internet rumors are becoming kind of like that old game of "gossip" don't you think????!!! LOL!

and way to go with your 3 year old .... very impressive that she is able to memorize something the length of the Pledge of Allegiance .... and impressive that you and your wife have taken the time to teach it to her!

[kleclere]

Skip I agree with you. I have noticed that some of todays youth(not all of them) but some have no respect for people, things, or their country. If they don't like to be respectful, and want to be against everything maybe they should move to these countries that don't have these freedoms. Where if they speak out or disagree with the government or people they get shot. Thank you for letting me rant.

[Irish]

STO---Hard as it is,just ignore it.I have found that everyone takes
things differently!Example:I was once at a get-together& referred to my wife as "my-old-lady"In "biker"slang that is a term of endearment.A feminist type woman that heard me,got all over me
for using a term that wasn't respectful.(It was none of her business,anyway.)My "old-lady",went up one side of her& down the other!May1,We will be married for 39yrs.I think that she knows if I respect her or not! Irish

[BlondeCurlGirl]

Aww...

How could anyone ruin a parent's moment of pride for a sweet, innocent act like this, that is certainly so poignant and patriotic in times like these?

I think a letter to the newspaper is a great idea Skip, and hopefully it'll make that girl and others think twice about what they are going to say. I'd just encourage your little girl to keep on saying the pledge and be proud of your little patriot!

Personally, I wish I'd see more of that kind of stuff being said out of the mouths of children today!

[jennaflower]

sto... you can bet that had I been standing behind her, not only would I have encouraged her to continue.. but I would have sung along :) :)

be proud of her... and indeed write a letter to the paper.

[Oldfart]

Isn't it amazing when a parent does something someone doesn't

agree with, it's abuse.

Someone should have just told her to get a life.

[scotzoidman]

Skip, regardless of any political implications here, anyone that decides to criticize me publicly for the way I raise my children is cruising for a brutal tongue-lashing...I would not have let up until my target was in tears...I know, wouldn't be a good example for the kiddies, but I tend to stand my ground on this subject...

[LixyChick]

Awwwww! I have this sweet mental picture of your daughter saying that pledge.

While initially reading this, I got so angry that I took a few minutes and went to shower.....to collect my thoughts so I could sit down and type a response.

I once saw a woman (in a K-Mart) holding her daughter by one arm and whacking her ass as she made her way out of the toy section. Now, I have NO idea exactly what could have prompted this woman to get so angry with, what looked to me, a 3-4 y/o little girl, that she would crack her so hard on the ass that my great grandmother felt it. And, I mean this woman was pissed. I had a dire urge to somehow stop this "obvious abuse". I looked at my husband and I knew he was thinking the same thing. But, in the few seconds (seemed like minutes) that it took for this woman and her child to cross our path, I couldn't come up with a single reason as to why I could intervene in a situation that I had no grounds to stand on. I didn't know this woman or her child. She was spanking her child (albeit, it seemed like a more than necessary spanking) on the butt, not beating her like you would hear of in most child abuse cases. I don't agree with spankings, but I don't have children and so I can't say if I would ever have a need to use physical disipline in certain instances that deemed it. I just know I ached to stop this situation and yet I knew I had no right to infringe on a family matter that didn't really concern me. Now, if this woman had of been pushing and punching this little girl, you can bet I would have been all over her like white on rice. But, I let her pass without saying a word. Imagine that! Me, keeping my mouth shut!

My point? We can't expect everyone to do as we do and think as we think. There is a time and place to take a stand against something we feel is a worthwhile cause to stand behind. Child abuse is a touchy subject and some people take the definition of it to extremes. To know when to intervene and to know when to back off is the ultimate stand one can take. When we start interjecting our very personal opinions into a situation that we may not agree with and is really none of our business, we are then infringing on the rights of the person we are adressing.

Ironically, this woman that spoke to your wife was using her right to freedom of speech and expression in a situation where an innocent little girl was, too, excercising that very right. To say the least, this was very bizzare behavior on the woman's part! If your wife had of been "making" your daughter repeat the pledge over and over again and maybe getting angry with her if she did it wrong or wanted to stop but your wife wouldn't let her, I can almost understand why someone might say something about abuse. I wouldn't have been that person, but I can "almost" understand someone saying something. That this 18y/o "woman" took a stand, at this place and time, against something that is clearly NOT abuse makes me so angry that if I were standing behind her in line and overheard this disruption going on, I too (like the cashier) would have said something to her. But, I would have whispered it in her ear....so that your daughter wouldn't have been any the wiser to the idiots that use their misguided notions to make themselves feel so much better than everyone else.

Oh.....and I would have said, "Lady, if you don't back off, I'm gonna take you outside and show you exactly what abuse actually feels like......so you'll know the difference the next time you feel the need to speak on it's behalf"!

Excellent idea skip! To write to the paper to thank the cashier, I think, is the best course of action. And I hope with all hope that the woman who did this will read your contribution.

[skipthisone]

Yes, the girl was using her 1st amendment rights, but when did we forget about some forms of etiquette. There are times when you MYOFB and keep your mouth shut.

I am sure lots of you are like me and do it all the time.

[Aqua]

Damn straight skip! I like your letter to the paper idea. I like the idea of your little one knowing the Pledge even better. I think it's just awesome that she knows it and is proud to say it. That woman in line should be ashamed of herself.

[Cheyanne]

I just shook my head and sighed. I see this type of behavior all the time with teenagers. It is the not thinking before you speak syndrome.... too bad it was misplaced.

I congratulate your little girl on knowing the Pledge! What an accomplishment.

Write that letter.... I would!

[skipthisone]

Thanks all, I submitted my letter at my noon hour today. I will post it here later for you all to read.

[skipthisone]

Here is a copy of my letter, it is similar to what i originally posted on this thread.

Dear ********* Daily News,

My 3 year old daughter has become quite the master of saying the Pledge of Allegiance (well Republic sounds more like wepublic...but you get the idea). Anyway she likes to say it everywhere, to anyone (always with hand on heart mind you), and usually at the top of her lungs. I personally love it and encourage it and say it with her often.

This past Tuesday my wife was inline to check out at the ***** IGA when my daughter began to recite the pledge, most likely at the top of her lungs. A young girl (my wife thought her to be 18-19) behind my wife proceeds to grumble how parents who teach their kids things like that are corrupting the child’s mind. She then proceeded to make the comment that they should have their kids taken away.

Well my usually quite calm wife was quite taken aback and turned to the girl and told her to mind her own business.

The girl then said to my wife, "When I see a bad parent teaching their kids to be idiots I call it".

My wife, by then very angry, was about to say something, when the cashier told the woman to butt out, and looked to my wife and told her she thought it was great. The girl then looked rather stunned, left the line and walked away.

I would like to take this time to thank that cashier at ***** IGA. She could have possibly risked her job by saying something like that to a customer. I tip my hat to her for being non-judgmental and seeing things for what they were, a little kid having fun.

I like to live by a certain set of rules. Everyone has their political views and they should stand by their convictions, but when you judge others views it only makes you weak and simple minded. I know a few liberals and conservatives alike who tend to pass their judgment on the other side.

It takes the great balance we have to make it an interesting and great country.

[Lilith]

Well done!

[jseal]

skipthisone,

Hear! Hear!

[Aqua]

Well said and well spoken skip!!

[Nice Guy]

Sounds good skip. I to would like to have a talk with this "woman". From the sounds of it she is most likely an anti-government hippy (meaning that she acts like a hippy but has none of the beliefs). People like her need to either shut the hell up or get the hell out of the country. They have this over developed need to use their 1st amendment right but then they attack anybody who tries to protect it. Dumbasses.

[Cheyanne]

Excellent job Skip! Good letter!