Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for September 04, 2024

Calvin, you are the youngest ever concientious objector…..

Geez Calvin! What did America ever do to you?

Courting disaster

Kick the Commie out!!!!

Oddly enough, he’s correct—sort of—about the Supreme Court. The court did rule that he does not have to participate in the pledge of allegiance.

I remember reciting the Pledge for some friends here in Spain. Several of them grew up at the end of the Franco dictatorship. They couldn’t believe little American kids recited that in school.

Imagine if the Pledge said “one nation under Allah…”

Very wise, Calvin. Don’t pledge to anything until you have consulted your lawyer.

Very wise, Calvin. Don’t pledge to anything until you have consulted your lawyer.

Do you know why you’re in school, you little brat? It’s called “compulsory education“. Do you know why that exists? If it didn’t, you would most likely be working in a factory right now.

Funny, they make kids, who aren’t old enough to legally pledge anything, pledge allegiance to the US every day. and a soldier had to say the Oath of Enlistment but once

Woah, it’s mental that american kids have to recite the pledge of allegiance! Like, i heard a story a kid didn’t want to and he got suspended or something.

The principal knows Calvin’s first name. Not a good thing.

Any tiny excuse to be annoing this feces muncher willl find it.

I was a Boy Scout in grammar school. We did flag raising, leading the Pledge and we lowered the flag and properly folded it and put it away.

We also learn some self reliance, we had a pocket knives and could start a fire with some tinder and sticks.

Imagine that!

Aha—so the truth comes out: Calvin is actually an agent for Putin—or Hamas!

lol this was the story of my life only not so much as he gets into. mine was more feminist stuff lol

I think the principal is thinking the same thing as Calvin is saying in the fourth panel.

In ALL Countries ruled by dictators (left or right) there is a Pledge of Allegiance to something that must be sung in schools – and sometimes in public events.Put yourself some questions and give yourself an answer. If you really believe in something pledges are not necessary.

I’ll admit it is troubling that he gets sent to the principal’s office for this.

Do they even DO this in most schools anymore…?!

Today’s reprint of a reprint reminds me of a Phoebe And Her Unicorn strip from five or six years ago. Phoebe was going back to school after a marvellous summer with her unicorn Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. She found to her amazement that her old enemy Dakota was deliberately sitting next to her and wanted them to try to be friends. They developed into frenemies.

A reader noted, “As it’s a new school year, does this mean Phoebe is now ten?” Another reader replied, “She will turn ten when Calvin turns seven.” Calvin never officially turned seven. The characters talk about “last year” but they always refer to Calvin as being six. However, Phoebe did officially turn ten when her strip celebrated its tenth anniversary in April 2022.

Well done Calvin. Pledging anything to the US empire is never a good idea.

Does anyone else remember that the pledge did/does not include the words “under god”? That was added by some religious zealots in the 40’s-50’s, as I recall. The Founding Fathers were pretty serious about avoiding State sponsored religion. I wish today’s bible/constitution thumpers would read them, instead of pounding on them.

Next will probably him doing something, getting in trouble, then saying “I can’t believe its not even 8:30 yet.”

For cryin’ out loud! It’s a simple and quick task that even you can do it!!

No more for me, the whole world need help not just the USA.

Calvin’s posture is what I experienced every morning when I was working, sitting in front of the computer and getting ready to open my e-mail. It was truly the one event during my workday I looked forward to the least, and I just didn’t want to do it! This especially hit hard when returning from a vacation because I would not look at my e-mail during my PTO.

October 22, 2009 C&H:

“I pledge allegiance, to Queen Fragg,

And her Mighty State of Hysteria…"

From MAD, a product-filled pledge of allegiance: iPod Allegra, Tootsie Fab, Fuji United Franco-American. Banana Republic, Ford Chiclets Vans, One Nathan’s, Wonder Bod, Disney Vagisil, Wisk Listerine Ban Jergens Hormel.

Not a great way to start the day!!!!

Well, Calvin DOES have a tendency to go over the top.

New Calvin record?

Calvin, you’d be a star student if you spent half as much time doing what you’re supposed to do instead of protesting and goofing off!

I pledge allegiance to Heddy Lamarr (that’s Hedley!) and to the evil for which he stands. Now go do that voodoo that you do so well.

Apparently you’re in the Principal’s Court.

Cheer up Calvin. Leo Durocher (as a manager), once got thrown out of a game before it started.

The Pledge of Allegiance, as rewritten in 1954, is a prayer.

See West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)

All legitimate concerns, Calvin.

There’s a seat reserved exclusively for Calvin in the Principal’s office.

In 1942 I got A+ in ’Principal’s Office.

I’m with Calvin on this one. Screw the Pledge of Allegiance.

Signed,

Someone who thank the gods never had to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

They may as well move Calvin’s classroom into the principal’s office.

It looks like the teacher and principal are related!!

Yes, Calvin, since the McCarthyites added “under God” in 1954, it has been a prayer, and thus unconstitutional in schools.

The original, BTW, was written by Francis Bellamy, a Socialist, in 1892, and adopted by Congress in 1942.

Mornings can feel so long, especially when you’re not quite in the groove yet.

If anything, we should pledge allegiance to the Constitution.

84 words, 4 panels.

Calvin’s right. The pledge is weird.

Wow Calvin, triggered much ???

Calvin blew a chance to get the class to pledge allegiance to him.

Not only is it 8:15, but it’s 8:15 on the first day of school. Is that a record for Calvin?

He doesn’t even know if he has “standing” for such a case.

Originally this was a funny strip

The whole idea of a mandatory loyalty oath to the State sounds just a wee bit Soviet Union-ish to me.

I don’t know when this strip was initially posted but it is amazing how fresh it still sounds.

Susie was correct yesterday when she said that Calvin needs to check the chemical content of his breakfast cereal.

Anyone noticed the problem here? This poor little kid has heard adults, especially on television, babbling and arguing about what you can and cannot say or do, and how much trouble you can get into for doing the wrong thing. He’s worried about the Supreme Court and reading his rights! This isn’t really about refusing to recite the Pledge.

Where does a 6 year old get all this drivel??!!

I was mad when they added “under god” to the pledge. I was 7 and had memorzed the old version. Now I had to learn the new one. As I got older I objected to it for different reasons and pretended to say it.

Calvin’s reaction is definitely the right one. Loyalty oaths are beneath a free society, loyalty oaths that are so unsubstantial that they have to be repeated almost daily are a farce, and asking little kids to “pledge” anything is just weird. And to a flag??

I mean, yeah I guess?

I was bored out of my mind when I started school, so I skipped kinder and sneaked into any class that looked interesting.

Searches would be organised.

In the end I got seconded to the principal and followed her around as she taught all the relief classes at school.

Win, win for everybody.

I got to learn English much faster than I would have, and I got an interesting education that year.

The school didn’t have to waste resources finding me.

Next year I went straight to grade 2 from kinder, so it was a good solution all round.

I think Calvin would have liked the same.

I was going to ask, will Calvin ever learn, but then I realized the answer is never!

Nothing says, FREEDOM like being compelled to pledge your allegiance to something you do not yet comprehend…

Didn’t Miss Wormwood remember that last time Calvin led the Pledge? (“I pledge allegiance to Queen Fragg…”) But Calvin probably remembers!

I pledge allegiance to Queen Fragg and her mighty state of hysteria.