Maybe it's because I live in the bright red heart of a regressive, corporate-owned, Christian-themed oligarchy, but I've been watching a lot of the late, great George Carlin on YouTube recently. When some alien race rummages through the crumbles of our lost civilization, they'll probably consider him one of the great philosophers of our time.
One thing Carlin always criticized was the creepy fascination humans have with worshipping symbols. Whether it was a flag, sports team logo, or statue of a man nailed to a cross, it didn't make a lot of sense to him. As he once said in a stand-up routine, "I leave symbols to symbol-minded."
On the topic of symbols and the symbol-minded, the Oklahoma House overwhelmingly passed HB 2277 yesterday afternoon. Titled the "Pledge of Allegiance Indoctrination Act," which is something I just made up, it will require all Oklahoma public school students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every single day. There's no word on if they'll also have to sing "My Country 'Tis Of Thee."
Via KFOR:
A bill that would require Oklahoma students in public schools to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day has passed another hurdle.
House Bill 2277 would require students in all public schools to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America once every day.
Currently, students are required to recite the pledge once a week.
The bill does provide an exemption for students “who do not wish to participate” in the pledge...
On Monday, the bill passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives by a vote of 93-1.