Rex Curry is the nation's leading authority on the Pledge of Allegiance. You're right to post the video. The video is completely accurate. The salute used by the Nazis was NOT derived from the socialist Mussolini. And the gesture was not based on the so-called "ancient Roman salute" because the "ancient Roman salute" is a complete fictional, as stated above.

Jacques-Louis David's painting "The Oath of the Horatii" did not associate the salute with classical Rome, and David never said such a thing, and the painting does not show the gesture, it shows three people reaching for weapons, including the use of the left hand. The Horatii lie is a very modern lie, fabricated circa 2006(?) on wakipedia in order to cover-up the Pledge of Allegiance's putrid past.

The socialist Mussolini did NOT adopt what he thought was the Roman salute.

No one should stand for nor chant the Pledge of Allegiance because it was the origin of the Nazi salute and Nazi behavior (see the discoveries of the historian Dr. Rex Curry). The early pledge began with a military salute that was then extended outward to point at the flag (thus the stiff-arm gesture came from the pledge and from the military salute). The pledge was written in 1892 for kindergartners to be forced to recite under the flag at government schools (socialist schools). The pledge was written by an American socialist who influenced other socialists worldwide, including German socialists, who used the gesture under their flag's notorious symbol (their symbol was used to represent crossed "S" letters for their "socialist" dogma -another of Dr. Curry's discoveries). The pledge continues to be the origin of similar behavior even though the gesture was changed to hide the pledge's putrid past. The pledge is central to the US's police state and its continued growth.

You're right that the video isn't very accurate. The salute used by the Nazis was derived from Mussolini's fascist salute which, in turn, was based on the (largely fictional) Roman salute.

Jacques-Louis David's painting "The Oath of the Horatii" associated the salute with classical Rome and, as Mussolini was attempting to produce a new Roman Empire, his fascists adopted what they thought was the Roman salute.

I think you are partially correct Wumpus, yes, the Islamic Republic of Iran is definitely being hypocritical given their own policy on history.... probably their complaints are an attempt to galvanize one of their own disenfranchised factions in the fight against the Great Satan, I won't argue that.

But I also think that even if there aren't direct, literal parallels, there is enough in the general theme of the film that one doesn't need to read much into it. As for pointing out that the original graphic novel was published in 1998, you must keep in mind that much has been added to that original text... and much of that is what I am taking issue with. The major themes that are repeatedly beat out over and over again may have been presented in that original book but not to the extent that they are in the film.

Also, I think you bring up another salient point (that, no offense, undermines your argument) by noting the similar film from 1962, with its Cold War overtones. The story of the Spartans at Thermopylae is one of those tales that has been repeatedly hijacked to suit whatever current political message is relevant... post-Revolutionary Napoleonic France was noted for the appropriation of many stories of antiquity, notably, during Napoleon's campaigns in the East he was compared to not only Alexander, but also at times Leonidas (the proverbial defender of the West), see Jacques Louis David's (Napoleon's official portrait artist) Leonidas at Thermopylae
http://www.abcgallery.com/D/david/david33.html

Also, Hollywood is exactly where Iran should be looking... the film just did another 31.2 million dollars this weekend. People, lots and lots, and lots, of people are going to see this film. Even if they are uneducated, and have no idea that there are these overtones, they will still get the message. After all, the best propaganda is subliminal, the audience shouldn't know it is being fed this stuff... in fact, it is all the more effective if most of your audience doesn't really know what a Persian is (although I think you are underestimating the viewing audience by saying that no one knew what a Persian was before this story broke).

On top of that, the visuals that go with it, brutal violence, sex and death, are classic primal triggers of all the urges that one could hope to gain through a campaign such as this. Nothing psychologically solidifies a nation of people better than a group viewing of such materials... just look at the long human history of public executions, gladiatorial events, witch burnings, etc, etc. Nothing gets a group of people to rally around the flag better than having them witness the smiting of the enemy, it is a proven fact... and it works all the better if the audience does not realize it is happening and simply thinks they are there to be entertained!