Student sits during pledge of allegiance; gets chair kicked out from beneath him

[Catholic_Lady]

You guys are aware that the pledge of allegiance is one of those things only Americans do?... At least, among the countries of the "western world".

It's one of those things that sound very creepy about your school system.
You say it's 2 minutes?... I say it's 2 minutes every day, over 200 days per year... That amounts to hours of useless "patriotic" indoctrination.

If you know your country is good, you stand by it. Just look at what I do concerning Portugal!
I never had to recite anything about the country at school... At most, we had the lyrics to our national anthem in the Portuguese Language textbook and maybe read it out loud once?... In 4th grade, or so...

Is every Portuguese kid disrespectful to their country and the people who have, since the 1100's, lost their lives to defend it, expand it, retain it, govern it?

And yet, here I am, advertising it to you all every chance I get.
Do I really think it's a utopia? No, of course not. It has its ups and downs, but it's a great place to live, an awesome place to visit and has some great food to offer.
[I can get paid, now]

I moved to the United States from Brazil when I was 7 years old. I am quite aware. I remember my first day of school in the US when everyone stood up, put their hand over their hearts, and recited something while facing the flag. I remember assuming it was some kind of special day for the country, like independence day or something. But once it happened every day, I caught on that it was just something Americans did daily. 

I remember thinking it was dumb ever since I was that young. I would stand up but I didn't put my hand over my heart or say anything. I just stood there without doing or saying a word, and thought I was so cool for it. I was actually like that all through school, and it wasn't until I started getting a little older and more mature that I really started to reflect and appreciate this country and the fact that I'm lucky enough to have moved here from a 3rd world country. America isn't perfect by any means, but no place is. But having seen and lived in other parts of the world, and having many family members still living in other parts of the world and hearing about it and visiting it, I realize how fortunate I am and am humbled by it and by all those who work so hard at making this place what it is. Anti American sentiments really irk me. 

No one should be forced to stand, or bullied in any way shape or form for not standing. But am I going to think it's cute when they don't? No. I was one of those kids at one point. And I look back at myself and think my dismissiveness was ungrateful and disrespectful.

(edit to add - also it's not 2 minutes, it's more like 15 seconds. not sure why i said 2 minutes)