October 5, 2005

• I Pledge Allegiance . . .
  

  The Indiana
  legislature recently passed a bill which was signed into law by Governor
  Daniels which requires a moment of silence in the morning in public schools where
  people can silently pray, reflect on the upcoming day, daydream, etc.

  It also requires the pledge of allegiance to be recited,
  although students may opt out of it if they choose.
  

  Both of my daughters are boat rockers, smart, head-strong (hard-headed),
  not easily fooled or intimidated and not afraid to defend themselves.
  

  Jessie, my youngest, a junior in high school has refused to
  participate in the pledge.  I support her
  on this matter.  First and foremost, it’s
  lame.  I said the pledge of allegiance as
  a child, but was never asked to after third grade at most.  If we had been instructed to do this in high
  school the teacher would have been laughed out of the room.  But times have changed and Indiana has gone so far red it’s surely in
  the infrared spectrum now.
  

  All has gone fairly well, though there has been taunting by
  some self-appointed patriot police: “Oh, so you’re not an American.  You’re not supporting the troops.”   Etc.
  

  Today Jessie responded with this: “The last time I had to
  say the pledge of allegiance I was in like second grade, I was learning my ABC’s.  Does that make you feel good to be doing
  something that you stopped doing after you learned your ABC’s?”  “Whatever” was all the patriot policeman
  (Hitler Youth? Darn it, I swore I wasn’t going to use that term) could come
  back with.
  

  But yesterday a teacher told Jessie that she didn’t have to
  say the pledge but that she had to stand. 
  That was not the way I understood the law.  So I re-read it, contacted the Indiana Civil Liberties Union
  and Deb has even contacted the Governors office to see if this is indeed
  possible.  My understanding is that
  students could opt out.  The governor’s
  office is going to call back (probably) because that was their interpretation
  too.  The ICLU has responded that she is NOT required to stand by this law.  Bless them.  I'm glad I'm a member.
  

  I want Jessie to be able to live with her conscience, but to
  also be within the law.
  

  This pledge thing will backfire.  Eventually all high school students will come
  to realize it’s pretty lame to do the same thing that they stopped doing in
  kindergarten, and more students will opt out. 
  It will be embarrassing when they give the pledge and no one bothers.
  

  Life would be easier for Jessie if she just did like
  everyone else and robotically said the pledge. 
  But like I told her, a conscience is an expensive thing to have.  You always have to pay.  And like Ralph Waldo Emerson said:   “Beware
  when the great God lets loose a thinker on this planet.”    Thinkers are scary.  They make people (especially homeroom
  teachers?) uncomfortable.  People that
  just get in line and do what they’re told aren’t so frightening.
  

  One might ask why a father that served more than his fair
  share of time in the military, takes his hat off and places his hand over his
  heart and sings along with goose bumps on his back when the National Anthem is
  played doesn’t encourage his daughter to say the pledge?  Mainly because it’s lame and meaningless.  It doesn’t support the troops.  It doesn’t better America.  It doesn’t ease the suffering of one
  soul.  It doesn’t cause one student to
  become a better person.  It’s lame.   But it’s another American “quick fix”.  We’re in the toilet as far as ethics in this
  country.  But let’s not look deeply into
  the core and cause of that problem.  Let’s
  just say the pledge and that will ease our conscience.

  That's Jessie, below.

  

  • 4:19 pm
  • 15 Comments