The Pledge of Allegiance

812 Words4 Pages
The Pledge of Allegiance The citizens of America are recognized worldwide for our avid patriotism towards our country. American citizens take great pride in their country and the nationalist attitude of the country is probably what brings us all together, despite our many disputes. Americans have many symbols to represent their patriotism. One of the most crucial is the Pledge of Allegiance. The Pledge is something that is instilled in each and every American citizen as soon as we can talk. That is why the Pledge is so important to us; and even if every single American citizen didn't favor or agree with the Pledge, there is no doubt that every American citizen knows it. The Pledge of Allegiance is important in various ways and is a vehicle to ensure patriotism. The Functional Approach, Symbolic Approach, and the Conflict Approach are all provisions that can interpret how The Pledge of Allegiance is used as a vehicle to ensure patriotism by instilling it in American children, but the Functional Approach best analyzes why. Functionalism is defined as "the theory that various social institutions and processes in society exist to serve some important function to keep society running" (27). Using the Functional Approach, one could ask "what is the purpose of the American people saying the Pledge of Allegiance?". Children learn the Pledge of Allegiance in as early as kindergarten. Although the children may be oblivious as to why they have to stand up, and recite it every morning, this ritual is critical in instilling patriotism into a child's mind; therefore transforming a patriotic child into a patriotic adult. Because of the development of the brain, and the various undergoing changes when one becomes an adult, it would be easier to teach a child the Pledge versus an adult. There is also no limit as to who is taught the Pledge; no matter gender, race, sexual
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