Oddly the proper way to salute the flag back in the day was arm extended much like a Nazi salute to Adolph Hitler.
“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.”
Many people I talk to are surprised to learn that congressional sessions open with the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance, as do many government meetings at local levels, and meetings held by many private organizations. Not surprising since many don’t even bother to vote nowadays.
I saw members of the House of Representatives recently on CSPAN lazily placed their hand over their hearts, while other looked around with bored expressions on their face. Still others were very mechanical in doing so – like the human robot John Boehner – the current Speaker of the House.
The pledge is commonly recited in schools at the beginning of every school day, although the Supreme Court has ruled on several occasions that students cannot be “compelled” to recite the Pledge, nor can they be punished for not doing so. Unlike in my day when you could get a swap for not doing so with a wooden paddle with holes drilled into it.
My how things have changed since I was a scared little kid growing up in the 1960s and 1970’s.
In ore recent times a western Nebraska high school principal outlawed the Pledge of Allegiance for a day because of the partial shutdown that is causing some 17 percent of the federal government (and no part of Nebraska high schools) to cease functioning (source: http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/16/high-school-principal-bans-pledge-of-allegiance-over-government-shutdown/#ixzz2qkeuOo00).
In another instance an Oregon elementary school principal banned the Pledge of Allegiance, so as not to offend Muslims students (source: http://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/2008/06/oregon-school-bans-pledge-of-allegiance.html).
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the federal flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942.
According to the Flag Code, the Pledge “should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Not looking around or fidgeting as members of Congress often do, when they think nobody is looking.
When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Women apparently don’t have to do that?
Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the proper military salute.”
Oddly the original recommended posture taught to children back in the day was with a straightened arm raised upward and outward (see above picture).