In support of Obama -

[BuzzKill]

I imagine making you stand up was their way of maintaining some level of control. Had you been permitted to just sit there, pretty soon others would also just sit there which may eventually lead to some just walking out - b/c if you can do as you please and you'd rather not be there, why stay? and you can't have that, can you?

[Froderik]

I imagine making you stand up was their way of maintaining some level of control. Had you been permitted to just sit there, pretty soon others would also just sit there which may eventually lead to some just walking out - b/c if you can do as you please and you'd rather not be there, why stay? and you can't have that, can you?

Right.. lol. And not long after that I ran away from home and dropped out. That public school sucked (for me); none of my friends were there.

[Ursus]

I didn't want to say the pledge when I was in public school (for what I saw as political reasons). They didn't throw me out of class for not saying it, but said I had to stand up. I kind of thought that was bullshit, but whatever...at least they didn't try and force me to say it.

I imagine making you stand up was their way of maintaining some level of control. Had you been permitted to just sit there, pretty soon others would also just sit there which may eventually lead to some just walking out - b/c if you can do as you please and you'd rather not be there, why stay? and you can't have that, can you?

Another way to look at it is that they were making you stand up for your beliefs, which is not necessarily a bad thing, though I imagine it wasn't too comfortable... Certainly in this case, for a kid, it sounds a lil closer to singling you out for your beliefs.

[Froderik]

Certainly in this case, for a kid, it sounds a lil closer to singling you out for your beliefs.

Yes.