"And valuing the needs and opinions of others" isn't that exactly what I am doing by asking my students to respect that others can say the pledge if they want to? As much as I feel I don't have a right to tell a kid to say the pledge - I would be a hypocrite if I told kids they couldn't.

It's the end product that I am giving a definition. By the way, what did I "lose"? How am I a loser for caring about my young family and my country that I care about? Why is this a competition for you? I am an American who is worried about where this country is heading in many aspects of it (Dem and Republican alike). I do not belong to a single party and I vote my conscience on issues. So, I ask you again . . . What did I "lose"? I am worried about a corporate America where working class people are duped by their government officials and are losing the ability to make a living. If that makes me a "loser" than I guess we're all losers. And if you think that I am the enemy (a fellow American) then we are definitely all "losers".

Look up why the pledge was incorporated in the first place. It was a scheme to sell small American flags and the pledge was made up to go with the flags. Once it was implemented in the classroom - profits were staggering. There was a SCOTUS ruling years ago that the pledge does NOT have to be done in the classroom, but most still do. I do not partake in my classroom and do not tell kids that have to. I do however tell the kids to be respectfully quiet while others do (if they wish).

What's July 12th?

Your logic is misaligned in this comment itself. In your comment you state that "generally things escalate from" and then list three different things . . . A protest, a riot, and an insurrection. This is because they are all different and your logical brain knows it. Your illogical brain uses them as an excuse for the right wing extreme behavior that occured during the god-damned insurrection. How any true patriot could be okay with what happened on the 6th is beyond me. We are supposed to be bonded as Americans. We are supposed to understand that we might not agree on everything, but we are in this together. We are supposed to agree that voting is sacred and that the results are the results.

Protest - a statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something.

Riot - a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd.

Insurrection - a violent uprising against an authority or government.

The insurrectionists held an uprising against the government, stormed the capital, and threatened to take over and change the election results. This is fact neither born from one media outlet or another. It had witnesses and is a part of this countries history now.

All good. Stay safe out there. It's a wild world we live in.

"What" and "which" being used interchangeably.

Hahaha. Who said I was judging you? I hope you don't need to be using a tazer often because it doesn't sound like a fun existence. It sucks that we have homeless people in the richest country in the world, but that doesn't mean homeless people can't be dangerous. Take a chill pill please.

I am glad this is working for you, but not everyone has the same caustic relationship with recreational drugs that you do. Alcohol has been around since over 5000 years BC, but somehow you and a great deal of others have gone on this mini "prohibition" movement and have it all figured out. Good for you, but let's not let this turn into a new movement where "I know better than you" becomes an excuse to tell others how to live their lives. Prohibition in the US started just like this.

This has been "useful" to you? I hope mostly the flashlight and not the tazing homeless people part.

Agreed wholeheartedly. We are a corporate dystopia waiting to happen if the younger people don't find a way to push change soon. See The Twilight Zone "The Obsolete Man". Luckily there are still governments that actually work for the people, so a blueprint is out there for rebuilding.

This is ridiculous. I have been at three protests this year so far. One for union rights, another for immigration rights, and the third for keeping the presidential powers in check. None of these are "trivial". Maybe the real answer is that the privileged don't feel the need to look at the bigger picture.

That wasn't a fucking protest. Give me a break. There's a difference between a riot, an insurrection and a protest.

"What's going on" by Four Non-Blondes - what a childish nepo baby song and what a dumb fucking name for a band.

Who is this?

Where is this option? I looked everywhere and can't seem to find it.

Oh man, who is this?

Anyone know who this is?

You're ignorant or lazy if you cannot see the difference- even if it is a nuance . . .they are different. For easy reference just check the Internet for voting disparity between the parties. Give me your top 5 most important values and then see which party aligns with them. Most likely you will not be able to say - they are both the same when voting for or against the 5 values I hold in highest regard.

Shops.