If it bothers you so much don’t go to these events.
Also, as "not mandatory", have you ever chosen to remain seated and experienced the reaction from those around you? You'll definitely get the feeling "not mandatory" is a very much incorrect description.
> haven't sung a hymn, pledge or anthem since I was 11 or so. I just stand there and watch, be it church, baseball, hockey, whatever. 32 years and nothing bad has happened yet. (Hooray freedom?). I don't believe there is any pressure whatsoever.
YMMV, but I do just stand up and not sing. It's not the end of the world. And some people always keep their hand down, instead of over heart. Again, I'm really not experiencing difficulties here, but I respect that there might be other factors. Like, do you live in the deep south?
Yes, it’s not mandatory and yes you _could_ sit down and not sing, but the consequences are that your fellow spectators will be agitated. They may not show it in any way, or… …they might!
The interpretation of my intended message has transformed a bit beyond the original scope to include never standing, not even feeling social pressure of any kind, and a comparison to Colin Capernick who attends sporting events in an entirely different capacity than I do. Those points just sound a lot like trying to win an argument on technicality vs have a discussion about experiences.
All I'm saying is you can feel all the pressure in the world to sing a hymn or say a pledge at events, compromise half way by standing, and not sing any national hymn or pledge and suffer no compromises. It is absolutely not required.
My father in law stopped watching sports during the period where it became popular to kneel or not stand during the national anthem to protest or bring to light various social causes. In his view, those things don’t belong in sports. That was his choice, it’s not mine, but he didn’t make a big stink about it, he just chose to stop consuming that form of entertainment.
At some point you either conform, choose not to conform and deal with the consequences, or simply avoid these events. The rest of the populace doesn’t have to change their behavior just because you don’t like it.
Collectively we have become a society of intolerant crybabies. We don’t have to agree with everyone, but we do have to tolerate the common social norms unless we want to be that guy that gets unwanted attention.
I'm really not sure what this has to do with the opinions being expressed by myself, parent, and GP here. I can avoid a behaviour and simultaneously have an opinion on the behaviour, which I am expressing here in response to others' opinions on said behaviour.