My daughter strikes again with thoughts on the Pledge of Allegiance that students are required to say at her school at the beginning of second block every day.
I thought this was an interesting essay particularly in light of the “patriot or traitor” meme of the Republican party/ media over the last 8 years.
(And for those who are interested, she’s furious that she’ll never get to vote for Barack Obama, even if he wins a second term. So if someone out there can take someone to the polls to vote for him, she’d be most appreciative.)
Cheers- and her thoughts- below the fold.
Socratic Seminar Essay: The Pledge of Allegiance
Every day, we recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Without conscious thought, we daily proclaim our loyalty to America. However, what is the worth of a pledge that is not carefully considered? It directly contradicts the Constitutional right to free speech and freedom of religion to be forced to say the Pledge, and reciting these words by rote throughout our school years has drained them of meaning. Clearly, the Pledge of Allegiance need not, and must not, be recited daily. However, its phrasing also needs improvement. After all, we pledge allegiance to the American ideals of justice and equality, not to a flag or to a higher power.
America was founded on the principle of freedom within reasonable limits. While we do not have the freedom to harm others, we do have the freedom to practice any religion and to speak- or not speak- in ways that do not harm others. Although we cannot cause panic or riots by speaking and escape punishment, it is perfectly acceptable to respectfully make our opinions known. In the Supreme Court case West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, the right to free speech was also defined as the right not to speak. Specifically, it was determined to be legal to not say the Pledge of Allegiance. As long as people stand respectfully with their hands over their hearts, actually speaking is merely an option. Students cannot be forced to say the Pledge, only to take a brief moment to respect the flag and our country.
Think of something that we do daily during the school year, such as homework. While individual assignments might have meaning, imagine if they were all the same. Most likely, we would complete the task by rote, not paying attention to what was intended. The same is true with the Pledge of Allegiance. Because we say it every day at the same time, it has become a mere ritual and has lost some of its meaning. If the Pledge of Allegiance were to be said less often- twice a week, for example- it would lose its banality and be said with more thought. Although it is a gesture of respect to say the pledge, saying it without meaning or understanding is degrading to the ideals of America. Rather than just being taught the pledge, students should also be taught the significance and history beyond the words. Although ritual can be useful, the meaning behind the ritual is all too easily lost.
Now we come to the Pledge itself. It, like most American manuscripts, is a living document. It changes with time in response to the needs of the public. The pledge, then, can be changed if necessary. If one examines the pledge, it is easy to see that it must be made more accurate and more capable of transferring its message. For example, we pledge allegiance first to our flag and only later to the country it represents. Do we live in a flag? Are things as flaglike as apple pie? No, America comes first. It should hold the place in the Pledge of Allegiance that it holds in our lives. The phrase “under God” is also inaccurate, as it conveys the impression that America is host to a dominant, established religion. However, it states in our own Constitution that we are not a theocracy. The Pledge should, and perhaps must, be changed in order to accurately convey American values.
The Pledge of Allegiance, although it is a historical document, is not perfect and unchangeable. More than fifty years have passed since the last alteration of the Pledge. If we pledge allegiance to our country thoughtfully and with full knowledge of our pledge’s meaning, we honor America far more than if we routinely repeat empty words from memory. If these words are relevant and accurately represent what our country does, that is even better.