Two Hampden, ME Council Members Refuse to Stand + Say the Pledge of Allegiance

Thanks to being caught on video, two Hampden, Maine council members are finding themselves having to answer the question of why they didn't stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance at a March 17 meeting.

Thomas Brann, who is a Vietnam veteran not registered with any political party, has been serving on the town council for more than a decade. He told TheBlaze, "he disagreed with Mayor Carol Duprey’s spoken introduction of the pledge, which she said was to pay tribute to those in uniform “currently serving in harm’s way.”

Council member William Shakespeare is also sitting out the pledge and told TheBlaze:

Honestly, I think it’s ludicrous to make councilors get up there and pledge their allegiance...I don’t think there’s anybody in this room who is more patriotic than I am. I don’t think there is anybody in this room who has done more military service — over 30 years — than I have. … Patriotic? Absolutely. But I don’t think the council should have to get up there and pledge [their] allegiance.

What do you think? Should they stand with the other council members and recite the pledge or is it fine, if they want to refuse?