The pledge was the origin of Nazi salutes & Nazi behavior in the USA. The Nazi salute was the early salute in the Pledge of Allegiance. See the work of the historian Dr. Rex Curry. http://rexcurry.net
Adolf Hitler & German national socialists borrowed the stiff-armed salute from the USA via Ernst Hanfstaengl, a Harvard grad.
Francis Bellamy and Edward Bellamy were American national socialists and they influenced German national socialists, their dogma, rituals (robotic chanting) and symbols (the use of the swastika to represent crossed S-letters for “socialism”).
The Pledge of Allegiance was the origin of similar robotic chanting imposed by other authoritarian governments. The early pledge began with a military salute that was then extended outward to point at the flag (in practice the second gesture was performed palm down).
It was not an ancient Roman salute (that is a debunked myth).
The pledge is the worship of government/socialism. The pledge caused bullying, violence, castrations, even lynchings. It continues to cause bullying.
Most Americans today were educated in socialist schools (government schools) so they are ignorant of the fact that it was happening in the USA (to the stars and stripes) and in Germany (to the swastika flag) at the same time.
The pledge’s viciousness continues to happen here, only the gesture changed. Support the “Stop the Pledge” foundation and campaign.