This is not a new issue for most. Everyday, during second period, the girl that sits next to me refuses to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance.
Now, it's not the lack of patriotism or anything that bothers me (believe me). Here's what it is: she'll be talking, and mid-sentence, the announcements come on. She stops and sits - as if to make a public declaration - as if to make an additional effort to go against the grain and draw attention to herself.
Now granted, she's not the only one. In fact, she's not only the even person in that class who sits during the Pledge... But that's not the point.
As I talked to Danny a couple of hours ago, he was mentioning that he stands during the Pledge at the school he works at... to show respect - but he doesn't say anything. Fine, I respond. To be honest, I don't really care about that.
I've heard some arguments.
For atheists, it's "under God" that they don't like, and instead of leaving that part out, they pit themselves against the principle of the entire thing and neglect the Pledge altogether.
For some, it's "I don't like the idea of giving allegiance to a flag." In my humble opinion though, isn't an inanimate object the best possible thing to give allegiance to? I mean, think about it: it can't do anything wrong. It seems like the only logical thing to give allegiance to.
I guess my point is this. If you don't like the Pledge, fine. If you don't want to say it, all right. If you think you're being brainwashed, so be it. If it contradicts the God you don't believe in, okay. But why do you have to make it a spectacle? Why do you have to be so facetious for something so unimportant? Is it really that big of a deal?
This isn't a religious or patriotic issue for me. It's a "Why are you wasting your time making this statement?" There are others to spend your time on. For the girl next to me, I know you can talk about how much you hate the President or the War. Talk about those to someone... and do something about how you feel. Support the causes you believe in. But you're not accomplishing anything by trying to draw attention to yourself during the Pledge. At least stand up. It's a bunch of high school seniors: they don't care anyway.
Now, it's not the lack of patriotism or anything that bothers me (believe me). Here's what it is: she'll be talking, and mid-sentence, the announcements come on. She stops and sits - as if to make a public declaration - as if to make an additional effort to go against the grain and draw attention to herself.
Now granted, she's not the only one. In fact, she's not only the even person in that class who sits during the Pledge... But that's not the point.
As I talked to Danny a couple of hours ago, he was mentioning that he stands during the Pledge at the school he works at... to show respect - but he doesn't say anything. Fine, I respond. To be honest, I don't really care about that.
I've heard some arguments.
For atheists, it's "under God" that they don't like, and instead of leaving that part out, they pit themselves against the principle of the entire thing and neglect the Pledge altogether.
For some, it's "I don't like the idea of giving allegiance to a flag." In my humble opinion though, isn't an inanimate object the best possible thing to give allegiance to? I mean, think about it: it can't do anything wrong. It seems like the only logical thing to give allegiance to.
I guess my point is this. If you don't like the Pledge, fine. If you don't want to say it, all right. If you think you're being brainwashed, so be it. If it contradicts the God you don't believe in, okay. But why do you have to make it a spectacle? Why do you have to be so facetious for something so unimportant? Is it really that big of a deal?
This isn't a religious or patriotic issue for me. It's a "Why are you wasting your time making this statement?" There are others to spend your time on. For the girl next to me, I know you can talk about how much you hate the President or the War. Talk about those to someone... and do something about how you feel. Support the causes you believe in. But you're not accomplishing anything by trying to draw attention to yourself during the Pledge. At least stand up. It's a bunch of high school seniors: they don't care anyway.
