And what is the meaning of the pledge of allegiance?
(I know my mother did it in her youth).
It's completely unknown over here; we don't raise the flag (not even at the army), recite anything special.
I remember being invited at friends, during a trip in the US, and was taken aback for a few seconds just before we started to eat as the guests were praying. Suddenly I remembered it was part of the tradition.
I don't have an opinion about it other than it doesn't seem to make any difference whether we follow those american traditions or not (this is something my mother never could or would impose on us); she tried Sunday School on us (my brother and me) and I'm afraid to say I completely hated it! I was 8 and supposed to learn some sentences of the Bible by heart, and in another language than the one I was learning at school during the week. Well it didn't last long.

Raoul