Arnold Schwarzenegger silent on the "Pledge of Allegiance"

World Net Daily ^ | June 21, 2004 | Joseph Farah

[ladylibertyok]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arnold un-Reagan-like

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: June 21, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Now that a decent interval has passed since the moving tributes and funeral of the late Ronald Reagan, maybe it's time to comment on something unseemly that took place before the late president was laid to rest.

There was Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of Great Britain, standing next to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Thatcher recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America – not her own flag.

Schwarzenegger, an American running the executive branch of government of the largest state in the union, did not.

I didn't notice it when it took place. It was brought to my attention by a caller to my radio program. I had to go back and check the tapes. Sure enough, the caller was right.

Since then, other people who witnessed the funeral have told me they noticed it right away.

I wonder how many millions of people around the world took notice?

This troubles me.

I always liked Schwarzenegger's movies. But I've never liked him as a politician. I don't think he has any principles, any deeply held convictions, any beliefs beyond what the pollsters and the media advisers tell him.

Most of the positions he has taken are wrong. And when he takes the right position on an issue, you never know if he will reverse himself the following week.

Now this.

How can one explain why the governor of California, of all people, would not say the Pledge of Allegiance at an internationally televised funeral for Ronald Reagan? What was he thinking? Was it an oversight of some kind? Was he so in awe of the event that he lost himself? Is it possible he doesn't know the words? Maybe it's time for a crash course.

I've tried to think about this in ways in which I could give him the benefit of the doubt.

But I'm deeply troubled by it.

How embarrassing for our nation.

On the one hand, Lady Thatcher says the pledge though no one would expect her to do so. She's a British citizen who should not be expected to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. But she did. And she is standing next to a man who has chosen America as his adopted homeland – a man in a high-profile elected office – and he refuses to say it.

To me, this is more egregious than Bill and Hillary Clinton apparently dozing off during the eulogies at the National Cathedral. That bit of rudeness should be expected from a couple of cheap politicians. But I can't even imagine Bill or Hillary failing to say the Pledge of Allegiance – not when they know the whole world is watching.

I think Arnold Schwarzenegger needs to explain himself.

After all, Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah, has introduced legislation in the U.S. Congress to amend the Constitution so that the foreign-born Schwarzenegger could someday run for president. I don't expect that amendment to go anywhere, but, nevertheless, it has been introduced.

And Schwarzenegger is still the governor of California – the state, ironically enough, from where the latest challenge to the Pledge of Allegiance, and its "under God" phrase, went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

He needs to explain himself and apologize for the poor etiquette and unpatriotic attitude he displayed during the Reagan funeral. It was a slight not only to the United States of America, but to the late president.

Comparisons have actually been drawn between Schwarzenegger and Reagan. Reagan, an actor, launched his political career as governor of California. But, as far as I'm concerned, that's where the comparisons stop.

We all knew Ronald Reagan. And Arnold Schwarzenegger is no Ronald Reagan.

"This really troubles me too folks!! I don't think something like this should be over looked. There is absolutely no reason why he shouldn't be saying the Pledge of Allegiance. He's the governor of "Culifawnya" for pete's sake. Last time I looked at a map, it was still part of the USA. Like the author, I find him to be lacking in political beliefs and I think he only ran for governor because he is so obsessed with power. Am I off the mark on this or what?? I noticed no one else in the media picked up on it. Not surprising!!!"

[Quzar]

If i was from DU, then i would be the first DU to support bush.

[BykrBayb]

Not because you have an opposing idea. Because you falsely accuse people of being unpatriotic, just because we believe in saying The Pledge Of Allegience. You are a troll who is linked to democraticunderground.

[Bonaparte]

It's not because you have an opposing idea, it's because your idea is to refuse to say the pledge. And so far, when asked to state why you would refuse to say the pledge, you answer with nonsense -- as I just pointed out in post 49.

[Finalapproach29er]

A thought too dreadful to contemplate.

[Tamzee]

Just an FYI...

Personal attacks are forbidden at Free Republic even though some "conservatives" engage in them often. If someone here insults you directly or calls you a negative name you can hit the abuse button on the bottom of the post and report it. The moderator will remove the post and may even ban the person who did so if this has been a problem in the past.

[Quzar]

I never accused anyone of being unpatriotic, you are the one accusing people of that. I said i probably have more patritism then you.

Again if i was from DU, I would be the first DU that supported bush.

Are you not attacking me?

[Finalapproach29er]

I think you're in the ball park with those sentiments.

Even though he's been in the USA for 30+ years, hte old tribe of Austria still comes first.

And a chance for the conquering Governor to return. ~ICK!~

[BykrBayb]

Review the threads. While you did not clearly speak the accusation, you agreed with Quzar's attack on my patriotism because I believe in saying The Pledge.

[BykrBayb]

More lies which you cannot back up. If you all you can do is lie, please quit posting to me.

[texasflower]

Perhaps you should review his previous posts. I just did and he doesn't sound at all like a troll.

DU or otherwise.

[Tamzee]

Review the threads.

You may need to read things repeatedly before they sink in but don't assume others have that problem.

And don't pretend an accusation that you admit wasn't spoken.

I believe in saying the Pledge, also, but I don't believe in vicious personal attacks on someone's character because they stood there respectfully with a hand over their heart while it was spoken.

[Quzar]

I am done talking to you. Since all you can do is call me names.

[Bonaparte]

But I'm not done talking to you, Quzar. I still want to know why you would refuse to say the pledge.

And don't insult my intelligence with something lame like "wanting to hear others say it."

[George W. Bush]

Someone with your screenname should know better than to chant the DNC talking points about Schwarzenegger. But hardline "conservatives" did glory in those LA Times/NYT's smears about him....

Actually, I think I was far more brutal than those dainty scribblings were. But thanks for noticing. At any rate, the Left's hysteria over Arnie have subsided since he's proven repeatedly that he's one of their own, a true Kennedy.

freedom44: What a disgusting Neo-Liberal post against a fellow Republican and great American like Arnold.

I read that as: What a disgusting conservative post against a vapid self-promoting liberal neo-con like Arnold. And if he's such a 'great American', why doesn't he recite the Pledge of Allegiance like any other citizen?

[Bonaparte]

"Perhaps Arnold went as a representative of the US."

There's no "perhaps" about it, tf. Bush made him the designated US representative to the Austrian president's funeral on July 8, along with our ambassador and his wife.

[George W. Bush]

After attending the funeral in Austria, Governor Schwarzenneger paid his respects at the gravesites of his mother and father who are buried over in Austria. It was his first visit there since he became governor and no one should be castigated for honoring their deceased parents' memories.

Perhaps a little belatedly.

He did, after all, skip attending his father's funeral so he could attend a bodybuilding competition.

Not exactly the picture of filial devotion and inconsolable grief you're suggesting.

But entirely consistent with Arnold the Narcissist.

[Tamzee]

why doesn't he recite the Pledge of Allegiance like any other citizen?

Millions heard him say the Pledge of Allegiance when he was sworn in and his own children even led everyone in saying the Pledge that day. As usual, the Schwarzenegger bashers don't have a clue what they're ranting about.

[Bonaparte]

But we're not discussing the pledge on inauguration day. We're discussing why he did not recite it with everybody else at the funeral of a great President.

Any ideas on that, Tamsey?

[Fausto]

Or maybe he's just yukking it up, you know, conquering Aryan hero returns home to universal acclaim

Or maybe, just maybe, it was because you sent him?