It's Too Early For This S%#t!

I get up this morning, open the laptop, check facebook, and what do I see?  This bs!

Everybody, let's do this (and NBC - this one's for you!) ....We should flood Facebook with this...."I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under G O D, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all". RE-POST IF YOU THINK GOD, OUR COUNTRY, OUR FLAG, AND OUR MILITARY DESERVE RESPECT!!!!...... Let's just see how many AMERICANS will re-post

Now, under different circumstances I might blast the person who mindlessly re-posted this crap (that I assume is linked to the now ancient story of NBC leaving "under god, indivisible" out of the pledge recitation that aired during some silly golf tournament), but this 're-poster' is a family member.

I love and respect this person; I don't want to start a family feud that would lead to members of my family 'defriending' me on facebook (my mother already did), so I'll let it pass on that forum.  But I have to vent a little.

I know that most people don't realize that when Francis Bellamy originally wrote the pledge in 1892 it actually read, "I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."  Between that time and 1954, it was re-worked a few times and eventually came to include "the United States of America", but it wasn't until 1954 that "under god" was added (and I feel it should be removed).

Another thing that sticks in my craw is the idea that I should 'respect' god, or our government, and that, if I don't, I'm not American.  In reference to the 'god' part, I cannot respect that which does not exist; and as for the 'government' part, it is my duty, as an American citizen, to question the government, not to respect it.  The government is 'by the people and for the people', not the other way around.  The government should respect US!  The military, being an arm of the government, doesn't deserve my respect either; although, I do respect the individual service members who have made so many sacrifices for my country.

People who come up with this nonsense and then post it on the social networking sites are really a&#holes, but the ones who mindlessly re-post this crap need a good smack to the back of the head.