[billbears]

I can't think of a greater symbolism of allegiance to these United States of America than "OLD GLORY" herself.

I can. How about the Constitution? The Declaration of Independence? As for allegiance, I hold allegiance to God, my family, and then my state (North Carolina). You want to say socialist pledges to pieces of cloth? Be my guest, but understand the Framers would not have seen it as you do at all.

[so_real]

And I pledge my allegiance to God, Family, and Country in that order. Not so different really. The Constitution and Declaration are not symbolic but the Flag is.

As for the Framers ... On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." Seeing as this was done a year after the Declaration was written, it seems to me that they placed some importance to the symbolism after all.