I had an interview in high school once, alongside two other boys, with a couple of men from the local VFW. It was for a summer camp thing. One of the questions they asked was about the pledge of allegiance and standing for the flag and stuff. I went on a little rant about free speech and "forced signs of respect" and blah blah blah. When I was finished, one of the other boys in there with me told the interviewers that I always did stand and say the pledge every morning, but I insisted that that wasn't the important point. That was something I chose to do after thinking about it critically. The important thing is that people who choose to sit should be allowed to do so, blah blah blah. I thought I had made a very American argument.
The other boy later told me that he "really saved my butt in there." whatever