They call this subtlety?

After an article where the writer confesses he doesn't entirely understand the message behind the way Americans incorporate the American flag into their clothes, although he insists it's got to be patriotic, the next section reads:

How the Americans teach children: Subtle patriotic education

The United States is a "young" country with only 300 years of history. One almost never sees Americans implementing or undergoing specifically patriotic education in situations specifically set aside for that, much less special classes teaching patriotism. Instead Americans inculcate patrotism more subtly. Each morning, when the bell for the first class rings, the first thing they do is to have the students reverently put their hands over their hearts, and in a dignified manner loudly recite, "I Pledge Allegiance to...the flag of the United States and to the Republic, under God, indivisible, with welfare and justice for all."

Despite a certain amount of hostility to the "under God" phrase even in America, the translators didn't take it out of their version of the pledge. However, they did replace "liberty" with "welfare". ("I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.") Well, what would you expect? Communists don't really go for liberty. In fact, these days, they don't go for welfare, either.

Ironically, as this Marxist and many others have noted, the Pledge of Allegiance has a socialist connection. For my part, I have never been fond of the pledge; I detest ceremonies, and I remember being annoyed since I was little about the "under God" business.

Moreover, I read that although one hundred years ago the American flag was rarely seen in the classroom, among the nations in the world, only the USA and the Philippines, imitating the USA, have a pledge to their flag, and the original Pledge was recited while giving a stiff, uplifted right hand salute. That plus the approving tone of this article puts us in odd company. What's next, making the burning of the American flag illegal? The article goes on,

Americans love to participate in or watch all kind of sports, and before every competition, large and small, the first thing they do is all stand up and loudly sing the national anthem. In that grand, enthusiastic situation, tens of thousands of Americans of all colors gaze at the stars and stripes which is slowly raised as they loudly sing the national anthem. While standing amongst them, who cannot be moved by enthusiastic American patriotism? In public occasions in the US, no one is allowed to disrespect the nation or engage in any improper behavior. From when they are young, American children intensely believe "I am an American, and am proud of being an American".

Geez, has this person ever been here? Sure, during the actual flag-waving business, if you said something against it, I'm sure a fist-fight would break out. But disrespecting the nation happens all the time. It's the American way of life!

They call this subtle? I guess it is, compared to being hit over the head with the Mao's Little Red Book, or being thrown into jail for besmirching the dead dictator's portrait. But then the rest of the article goes on to praise the American educational system for the way it gives its students self-confidence.

The original extract:

美国人怎样教育孩子
潜移默化的爱国主义教育

美 国是个只有三百年历史的"年轻"国家。日常生活中，我们几乎看不到美国人在特定的场合进行和接受爱国主义教育，学校更没有专设的爱国课，美国对学生进行 的 爱国教育，是在潜移默化中进行的。每天清晨，第一堂上课铃一响，进行的第一项内容，即是学生们虔诚地把手放在胸前，庄严地大声宣誓：“我向美国的国旗和共 和国，在上帝之下，确保领土完整，为万民谋福利的自由正义之国，誓以忠诚……"

美国人最喜爱参与和观看各种体育运动，凡大大小小的比赛前，第一件事便是全体起立，高唱国歌。在那隆重热烈的场合，成千上万、各种肤色的美国人注视着冉冉升起的星条旗，高唱国歌，置身其间谁能不被美国人的爱国热情所感动。

在美国，任何人在正式场合都决不允许有任何亵渎国家的不妥行为,美国孩子从小就有非常强烈的信念，即“我是美国人，我为作为一个美国人而自豪"。