Arizona mandates loyalty oath from high school students.

[Londoner]

Arizona just passed a law that forces students to pledge loyalty to the Constitution.

This ironically violates the First Amendment.

Loyalty is only meaningful if it is freely chosen - not imposed by Big Government, as Republicans would have it.

Remember Bush's TIPS program, imposed shortly after 9/11? It encouraged citizens to spy on each other and then report "anti-American" behavior to big government. One person was famously reported for being the only person on the block who didn't display an American flag. Turns out the person's wife was dying of cancer and he was tending to her during her final days.

The Republican Party is adopting many of the policies imposed by the Third Reich, where people had to display and solute the flag.

How do Republicans feel about Big Government forcing people to take loyalty oaths?

 

[OKTexas]

It's just a proposal, I disagree with it, and I doubt that it will pass. It definitely will not withstand a challenge.

 

[aaronleland]

Republicans have always loved big government when it suits their agenda. Whether it is telling gay people who they can marry, loyalty oaths, armed guards in school, spying on American civilians... you get the idea. If a Republican supports increasing the defense budget, but calls themselves small government conservatives you know they are full of shit.

 

[tjvh]

I'd rather kids pledge loyalty to their Constitution (it is theirs too, after all), than pledge loyalty to a demented ideology which uses tyranny, and usurps Freedoms to realize its twisted utopian dreams.

 

[OKTexas]

Republicans have always loved big government when it suits their agenda. Whether it is telling gay people who they can marry, loyalty oaths, armed guards in school, spying on American civilians... you get the idea. If a Republican supports increasing the defense budget, but calls themselves small government conservatives you know they are full of shit.

I voted republican and I disagree with it, so that just blows the shit out or your theory doesn't it?

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Constitutional experts warn that both proposals are unconstitutional. As American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona Public Policy Director Anjali Abraham explained, “You can’t require students to attend school … and then require them to either pledge allegiance to the flag or swear this loyalty oath in order to graduate. It’s a violation of the First Amendment.”

And it’s likely the bill’s author and co-sponsors are well aware of this.

Indeed, this has become a now common tactic of the TPM and extreme right, to enact such measures to provoke a court challenge, pulling into the political arena the likes of the ACLU. Those challenging the measure can thus be accused of being 'anti-American,’ ‘godless liberals,’ or ‘anti-Constitution.’

 

[Clementine]

Can't very well force students to pledge any loyalty to our constitution or our country when our own government right now could care less.

I see the sentiment behind this, though I think this is a misguided plan. Too many illegal and legal immigrants hate America and everything it stands for, so they go out of their way to fly their own flags after burning ours, refuse to speak English and refuse to assimilate. It's bullshit and I do think that immigrants should be expected to go through the process, which includes learning our language and pledging to at least respect us. Politicians have to take an oath to uphold and defend our constitution, so it's not out of line to expect that from people who claim to want to become an American citizen. Abiding by the constitution and our laws is all a part of living here, even if the Obamanites don't get that.

I am tired of those who come here and do nothing but harass other students who put American flags on their bikes or wear pro-American t-shirts. I am sick of people who disrespect our laws and yet demand respect, handouts and all American rights, even if they sneaked in here illegally.

Arizona would like to see students who live here and are proud to be Americans. They must learn that, thanks mainly to the left, there is a growing number of people here who hate America and want it destroyed.

While they can't force some students to actually give a crap about anything but their own needs, they should put their foot down when it comes to the anti-American attitude that causes them to threaten violence against those who are proud to be American. Burn the school's flag or beat a kid up because he doesn't embrace Cinco de Mayo, get expelled. Why should we, as citizens, put up with shit like that?

The same constitution and bill of rights that people wish to destroy are what give them the right to sound like hateful assholes. Destroy it and you destroy your right to say anything. Sadly, some are too stupid to understand that.

 

[sfcalifornia]

Constitutional experts warn that both proposals are unconstitutional. As American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona Public Policy Director Anjali Abraham explained, “You can’t require students to attend school … and then require them to either pledge allegiance to the flag or swear this loyalty oath in order to graduate. It’s a violation of the First Amendment.”

And it’s likely the bill’s author and co-sponsors are well aware of this.

Indeed, this has become a now common tactic of the TPM and extreme right, to enact such measures to provoke a court challenge, pulling into the political arena the likes of the ACLU. Those challenging the measure can thus be accused of being 'anti-American,’ ‘godless liberals,’ or ‘anti-Constitution.’

And wasting taxpayer money in the process.

 

[Cowman]

I'd rather kids pledge loyalty to their Constitution (it is theirs too, after all), than pledge loyalty to a demented ideology which uses tyranny, and usurps Freedoms to realize its twisted utopian dreams.

Nobody is demanding kids pledge loyalty to an ideology. Why don't you throw around more hyperbole.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Republicans have always loved big government when it suits their agenda. Whether it is telling gay people who they can marry, loyalty oaths, armed guards in school, spying on American civilians... you get the idea. If a Republican supports increasing the defense budget, but calls themselves small government conservatives you know they are full of shit.

I voted republican and I disagree with it, so that just blows the shit out or your theory doesn't it?

One post up, genius.

 

[Truthmatters]

I'd rather kids pledge loyalty to their Constitution (it is theirs too, after all), than pledge loyalty to a demented ideology which uses tyranny, and usurps Freedoms to realize its twisted utopian dreams.

How about this idea.

They pledge loyalty to what they CHOOSE to be loyal to and not forced to mouth crap some other asshole tries to FORCE them to pledge a phoney loyalty to.

forcing pledeged loyalty is jsut WRONG.

I in high school would site the pledge and not repete the words under god.

I refused to pledge to a god I didnt believe in.

It pissed me off each and every morning.

Do you think that STUPID forced act gave me a better feeling about the myth based religion some idiot was trying to FORCE me to pledge to?


I think those fools in Arizona want to make the kids hate the constitution

 

[Truthmatters]

the words GOD should not be in any pledge to the government

 

[jwoodie]

I would rather pledge allegiance to our Constitution than to our Flag. I agree that "under God" is probably inappropriate, but I don't understand why Atheists are so intent upon forcing their religion on others.