Commentary

Always Pledging Allegiance, Before All Entertainment -- Or None At All

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, June 21, 2011

Why are we only talking about the pledge of allegiance to our flag for the opening of an golf event? Shouldn't we be require to cite our allegiance before other business and sports openings -- perhaps just after waking up in the morning, or before going to sleep at night?

NBC mistakenly cut out the words "under God" during a pretaped video piece before the start of golf's U.S. Open event this weekend. The network later blamed a small group of people for omitting those key words. Maybe some TV executive was involved with some "production notes."

I'm loyal to the flag -- every day. With that in mind, perhaps every single TV show needs to start up with the pledge of allegiance.

Since I love my country, and my God, and my prime-time TV schedule, we need to get serious. We need to gain protection from all intruders -- especially cable networks and YouTube.

NBC says: "It was our intent to begin the coverage of this U.S. Open Championship with a feature that captured the patriotism of our national championship."

That's okay. But why stop there. You want to be patriotic? Don't limit it to just sporting events. Before the start of "Glee," open with the national anthem or the pledge of allegiance. Does Macy's open its doors with the pledge of allegiance? Maybe it should.

Why do these national traditions happen during sporting events? Maybe because sports is kind of trivial versus the more serious world problem - and so we need to be reminded of matters like armed forces putting their lives on the line.

By that token, why not extend this to TV shows -- as well as theatrical movies or concerts? Entertainment is our leisure, non-serious time. The pledge -- and other national traditions -- remind us of what this country is all about.

My point is: all or nothing. If entertainment is trivial in the broader scheme of things and we are looking to remind viewers of real serious stuff, we ought to be consistent.

If, on the other hand, focusing on pledges and national anthems during entertainment events trivializes those national traditions, that's another issue.

television, tv

6 comments about "Always Pledging Allegiance, Before All Entertainment -- Or None At All".

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Michael Kaplan from Blue Sky Creative, June 21, 2011 at 6:23 p.m.
This wasn't part of some NBC "war on God" as some in the blgosphere are screaming. They also left out "indivisible," which is certainly a liberal way of thinking. After all, don't liberals make fun of governors and others who support secession for their states? (And yes, I'm talking about you Rick Perry and Mr. and Mrs. Palin).
I haven't read anything to suggest this was any more than an editing snafu -- featuring the opening of the pledge and the closing of the pledge, without realizing that leaving out the line(s) in the middle was going to piss some people off.
Funny, how everyone obsesses over the missing "under God," but no one even bothers reporting the missing "indivisible," or even the one missing "one nation."
Sigh.
Reply

Gary Stogner from Tourism Marketing 360, June 21, 2011 at 6:28 p.m.

Unmistakenly? I seriously doubt it. Intentional is more like it.

Robert Smith from VNA, June 22, 2011 at 10:09 a.m.

I think you're right, Wayne. We need to prove our patriotism everyday and everywhere, not just at sporting events. I went to see a movie while visiting London and everybody stood up before the show and sang "God Save the Queen." Why are we so unpatriotic in America?

T Y from Freelance Producer / DP, June 22, 2011 at 4:42 p.m.

Have you noticed that the more autocratic regimes require regimented obedience and submission to authority rather than inspiring their citizens to express their patriotism however they naturally desire?

When I hear students blindly reciting the pledge and using words like "invisible" sic, I know how meaningless that recitation really is for them.

Considering the cost of airtime, I am willing to bet that the networks wouldn't be too keen on blowing 90 seconds for the pledge. Let's add another few minutes for the national anthem and "America the Beautiful" and the sales departments won't have much inventory left. Hmm, which wins out commerce or patriotism?

Mike Bloxham from Magid, June 22, 2011 at 6:13 p.m.

Robert, having spent more than forty years of my life in the UK and having been a frequent cinema-goer I'm staggered that you stumbled into a screening where people sang the stood and sang the National Anthem.
Most people don't know the words beyond the first few lines and it would be a mistake to assume that we Brits make anything like as much of our nationality in terms of public displays as is the norm over here in the States. We're equally patriotic but show it in very different ways - and it certainly doesn't get in the way of how we present or consume our media.

Robert Smith from VNA, June 30, 2011 at 2:31 p.m.

Mike - My comments were tongue in cheek, though I really did witness some years ago a movie audience in London stand and sing "God Save the Queen." Love your country.