08-24-2008, 02:15 PM
[quote rgG]Why would people object to men being told to take off their hats? Do they feel that the word headdress needs to be changed to hat or that men should keep their hats on? A little tradition as a show of respect is not, IMHO, a bad thing.
I don't know!
I just looked it up, and that's the first hit I got that addressed both the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.
But, I didn't actually read into it that there was an objection on the issue of removing "headdresses," simply that the custom of placing one's hand over one's heart during the playing of the anthem was no longer being observed much. Plus, the placing of one's hand over the heart applied to a show of respect for the flag itself, not to the anthem. Ergo, if the anthem is played but the flag not displayed... On the other hand, I believe custom dictates the hand be held over the heart during the Pledge, because people are truly "pledging" to the flag - no flag, no pledge.
I don't know!
I just looked it up, and that's the first hit I got that addressed both the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. But, I didn't actually read into it that there was an objection on the issue of removing "headdresses," simply that the custom of placing one's hand over one's heart during the playing of the anthem was no longer being observed much. Plus, the placing of one's hand over the heart applied to a show of respect for the flag itself, not to the anthem. Ergo, if the anthem is played but the flag not displayed... On the other hand, I believe custom dictates the hand be held over the heart during the Pledge, because people are truly "pledging" to the flag - no flag, no pledge.