Pledge allegiance to the Flag, not the man

The Pledge of Allegiance is an 'oath of loyalty to the U.S. flag and the nation it represents.' Over the years, there has been controversy about the inclusion of the words "under God", and I understand that there are schools where it is not recited at the start of the day, as it was every day of my public school experience. But when the pledge is spoken, it is directed to the flag, as our symbol of the country and the Constitution it is built on. Changing the focus from the flag, and the country behind it, to any person, is wrong. I don't care if that person is the President. This isn't an oath of allegiance, but indoctrination – maybe hero worship. If I were a parent whose child attended a school such as this, the principal and school board would be hearing from me.

Double Tagged

Both 1SG Keith and BillT decided to maim meme me. I think they conspired against me, trying to drag me back into my own blog. We'll see about that! So the rulez are thus... 1. Link to the person that tagged you 2. Post the rules on your blog 3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself 4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs 5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website. 6. Let your tagger know when your entry is up. My six things... 1. As discussed at the Castle, I don't have any kind of cuckoo clock, or anything with chimes, bells, etc. in my house. I can't stand noisy clocks or other noise disturbing my sleep! 2. Like Keith, I hang all of my shirts, sweaters, etc. so that they face in the same direction. Being right handed, I want to grab the hanger and see the front of the item, not the back. 3. At meals I like to take a bit of each item on my plate in each bite - something about balance and symmetry. Unless there's something I really want to cherish, then I save it for last :-) 4. When I travel, I always want to pack my suitcase the night before I am to check out and return home. Doesn't matter how late it is. 5. I love mixing cold cereal together, and keep anywhere from 3 to 8 boxes of cereal open between my own choices and the Hubster's. 6. I love Starbucks, and it's definitely for the coffee. I even buy espresso packs so I can make my favorite mochas when we're at home. Which is funny, since I didn't learn to drink the stuff until I was 25. Before that I drank Mountain Dew in the morning for caffeine. And the six random bloggers I am tagging are ... Sarah Jill Army Sean ArmyWifeToddlerMom Aaron Huntress

Celebrating Real Americans

Thanks to Max for the heads-up on this one ... "On call 24 hours a day, for the past five years, a group of senior citizens have made history by greeting almost 700,000 American troops at a tiny airport in Maine. The Way We Get By is a raw and intimate look at three of these troop greeters as they confront their own health problems, depression, financial debt, and the loss of meaning in their lives. Facing issues common to the nation’s ever-growing population of seniors, Bill Knight, Joan Gaudet, and Jerry Mundy find the strength to overcome their personal battles and transform their lives. This inspirational story will shatter the stereotypes of senior citizens today. Growing old will never be the same." *Update* For screening information, check the official web site. Take a look at the trailer ... If you are interested in a local screening, be sure to visit their site and provide your locale to let the film makers know. And follow either the Facebook group or the Blog to catch the news. Kudos to Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly and Dan Ferrigan for creating a story about these real Americans and their devotion to our military men and women!