You are honoring the people that died to give you your freedom, if you think that because we've messed up in the past you should not salute the flag, then don't say anything, but stand out of respect. Whether we've done bad things in the past or not does not nullify the fact that people sacrificed their lives to give you the freedom to insult them, and their country. If they didn't do what they did, we might live under a government that would shoot you for not standing, or cut out your tongue for not saying the pledge. I don't see anything wrong with teaching 'schoolkiddies' to respect and honor their country.