Not saying pledge of allegiance destroys America

[abaris]

Children standing at their desks, all faced in the same direction (facing the flag), all doing the same thing (right hand over heart), and chanting the same thing...

I know it's not the same, but it's kind of alien for a european to see things like that. The only ones doing it were the fascist dictatorships in our history. As has been said, it's all about drilling blind obedience into children. To make them feel special because of their country. And when this same country asks something despicable of them, they're less likely to refuse.