Heil Obama?

I was told by a neighbor about this video. He said that it was sick and wrong because school children were pledging an allegiance to our president. This neighbor held it up to the light and declared it to be the same as the Middle Eastern people pledging their allegiance to Saddam Hussein.

I know that this neighbor did not vote for our now president, so rather than take his word for it, I told him I would have to see the video and get back to him.

The above is that video. He, my neighbor, said that it was like watching the Nazi Party.

I have to wonder if it isn't the word "allegiance" that's is causing all the hoopla. We grew up saying the pledge of allegiance to the flag, so I wonder if we've lost track of a meaning.

Here's what my computer's dictionary has to say on the subject of "allegiance."

loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause : those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic | a complex pattern of cross-party allegiances.
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Anglo-Norman French, variant of Old French ligeance, from lige, liege (see liege ), perhaps by association with Anglo-Latin alligantia ‘alliance.’

Okay, so now were on the same page. We will follow where you lead. I'll bet that was something Jesus heard all the time, good thing he came before the Nazi Party or he'd have to keep explaining himself all the time.

If you watch the video you will see that it pledges all kinds of things, to take care of one another, to love, to smile, to work harder for those who can't. Isn't that what a society should be about? And yes, it also says that we pledge allegiance to our president.

Does this mean that there weren't people pledging to follow Bush Jr. or Bush Sr? No, in fact I think that they were doing it, but they were doing it behind closed doors and in a whisper. Or maybe it's the message that a black man could have an all inclusive "let's make the world livable, joyful, loving place" idea for mankind that really worries the Republicans. Taking that step closer to being what Gene Roddenberry saw as humanity's future, is scaring the "I've got mine, and you can go screw" Conservatives.

I go back to a book that I read when I was barely into my 20's, Trying Hard to Hear You by Sandra Scoppettone: Love is better than hate.

When I see my neighbor, I will tell him that I saw the video, and that I don't see what the problem is, love is better than hate.