Telling the truth.

I have trouble. With pledging allegiance. To my country. Or to a political party. My love of country is conditional. I refuse to exercise blind loyalty. To a country. To any country. Because countries tend to go awry. Sooner or later. Usually the result of unbridled politics. If I have any loyalty. It’s to the world. To the entire cosmos. To creation. To life.  I used to get up. In the elementary school classroom.  And pledge allegiance. As a youth. When I didn’t know better. Don’t know exactly when I became enlightened. And stopped pledging. Also, I don’t sing the national anthem. Other than to recognize that the melody was a drinking song. With different lyrics. Appropriate for fun-loving drunks. In English pubs. Meanwhile, I’ll stand up. At a baseball game. While others sing the star spangled banner. My aim is to not call attention to myself. In a public setting. That’s all. Another thing. When called to testify. And swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I refuse to recite, ‘So help me god.’ I don’t need any help. Telling the truth. --Jim Broede