Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Taking (Away) The Pledge

We've got a local case that's making the rounds of the local news circuits here in MA. A local high school student has been crusading to have the Pledge of Allegiance reinstated in their school, with predictable negative results (in MA).

School Officials in Mass. Town Won't Let Students Recite Pledge of Allegiance
When Sean Harrington entered his freshman year at Arlington High School, he noticed something peculiar: There were no American flags in the classrooms, and no one recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

So Harrington enlisted the aid of his fellow students, and now, three years later, they have succeeded in getting flags installed in the classrooms. But the pledge still will not be recited.

The Arlington, Mass., school committee has rejected the 17-year-old's request to allow students to voluntarily recite the Pledge of Allegiance, because some educators are concerned that it would be hard to find teachers willing to recite it, according to a report in the Arlington Patch.
The Pledge of Allegiance has always bothered me somewhat, at least the concept that we require children to recite it as part of their daily school routine. It smacks of state-run training where the kids are shamed into mindlessly giving their obedience to the state rather than their parents or friends. America the country needs no mandatory assurances from her young students that they will do their best to uphold the high standards of our country. Heck, we'd do lot better requiring our CongressCritters to recite the pledge daily - even hourly...

I've never understood how making grammar school students repeat a 31-word sentence day after day after day is supposed to make them better citizens. This is a case where "Lead by example" is the best way to get one's point across - for us to truly love our country, make it worth loving. Having USSC Justices who actually understand what the US Constitution means, as opposed to what they'd like it to mean, would be a good start - certainly more than five of them...

Besides, I've always been partial to Calvin's version anyways: "I pledge allegiance to Queen Frag, and her mighty state of hysteria."

That is all.

Link sent by reader Dennis, who is apparently vying with PISSED for "articles that raise JayG.'s blood pressure"...

4 comments:

Jewish Marksman said...

I support a daily Pledge for school kids, but I do think the Pledge of Allegiance could be better worded. A true American's allegiance is to his G-d and the Constitution. The Marine Corps oath is much truer to the anti-statist and pro-Constitutional beliefs of the Founders:
"I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

The only part of the Pledge that is true to American beliefs is the end, "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." (Although the "indivisible" part is a little questionable as well...G-d bless Texas!) As for blind allegiance to a flag and republic no matter "for which it stands," that is quite un-American if you think about it.

Somehow combine the current Pledge with the MC Oath and we've got a real winner.

Mike W. said...

Wait, they don't have the pledge OR any American flags in the classroom?

What the fuck? No flags?

I'm not THAT old, am I?

Jewish Marksman said...

Apparently the student was able to get flags back into the classroom. They fact they weren't there is an outrage. What possible reason will the school administrators give for not have the US flag in the classroom?

Let me guess, it will offend illegal immigrants?

Stretch said...

"it would be hard to find teachers willing to recite it"
Any more questions as to why teacher's unions need to be disbanded? Or why publik edukation is in such a bad state?