Down here in Australia us Yankees are viewed as mad patriots. Last night when this was raised at a party, I, the outnumbered Yank in a six to one ratio said that I don’t reckon we’re the flag waving, national anthem singing, pro-political gang of country worshipers we’re made out to be. We’re just… i don’t know… people?
A fellow party patron called me out with ‘What about the pledge of allegiance then?’ My new Aussie mate spent some time living in the US as a kid and her one recollection from early school years in the states was saying the pledge of allegiance. Apparently to Aussies this is hardcore since schools down here don’t have anything like that in place.
Funny how something so small that we recite as children (usually while counting ceiling tiles or trying to hide the gum we’re chewing) can seem like such a big deal from a distance.
I don’t know if saying the Pledge of Allegiance makes anything about the country better or worse. I do, however, know one thing that certainly makes New York City better than most other places… pizza.
So if the issue is ever raised again while I reside on foreign soil, I will pledge allegiance to pizza…