lemurgoddess ([info]lemurgoddess) wrote,
@ 2007-10-01 10:27:00
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Entry tags:culture and politics, rant

Free Thinking Students...
This actually gives me hope for the future generations... and by extension, the future of this country.


Pledge of Allegiance during class
By Vanessa Miller (Contact)
Thursday, September 27, 2007

Waving signs and American flags, Boulder High School students this morning will stage the first of what could become many Pledge of Allegiance protests in the school courtyard.

Members of the activist Student Worker club are inviting their peers to leave class every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. — when the pledge is recited over the intercom — and meet in the courtyard to say a revised version of the pledge that doesn't reference God.


Read more...

Of course, there is outrage by some that think we should force everyone to pledge allegience to a piece of cloth and someone else's god.

Once I was old enough to understand what the hell I was saying, I stopped reciting the pledge in school. I got "talked to" a number of times, and even when they made me stand, I refused to say the pledge. (Which I think is a far more appropriate acknowledgement of my rights than mindlessly regurgitating a pledge.)

Everday I am thankful for the rights I have. But, I don't like being coerced to publically acknowledge "allegience" to this country, or a deity I don't personally believe in.

(A phrase that was just inserted into the pledge in the 50's to make American appear more "God fearing" while we were under the dark cloud of evil, atheist, communism.)

Fuck that.


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[info]krank_kether
2007-10-01 03:49 pm UTC (link)
Our teachers weren't paid enough to give a shit... seriously. I would sit, they'd tell me to stand just because they wanted some semblance of order in the class - I get that, I do. And when I started just saying "harumph" throughout the whole thing people thought it was some slacker thing. Then I stopped speaking, then stopped moving my mouth, then stopped putting my hand on my chest. Nobody cared.

It's hard to start a movement amidst so much apathy :oP

(Reply to this)


[info]25bluerose25
2007-10-01 03:54 pm UTC (link)
my only gripe about this is that they don't acknowledge that their constitutional right comes from the United States of America. You want to change the pledge, fine, but where do you think your rights come from?

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[info]aesmael
2007-10-01 04:04 pm UTC (link)
Like television and dinner, rights just happen.

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[info]lemurgoddess
2007-10-01 04:24 pm UTC (link)
Well, their pledge references "our nation," and they are Americans, so I think that it is to be assumed from context. I don't think they are trying to intentionally remove the acknowledgement that their constitutional rights are defined by the United States Constitution.

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[info]aesmael
2007-10-01 04:06 pm UTC (link)
I was quite pleased to read about this earlier, although much less so when I read the modified oath. I would much prefer to do away with it entirely. But then, I am a sinister foreigner and the whole thing just creeps me out.

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[info]terry_terrible
2007-10-01 07:34 pm UTC (link)
My third grade teacher not only made us say the pledge but had us sing a patriotic song everymorning at the beginning of class. One in peticular I remember was "God Bless America". All of this in a public school, it makes me quesy just thinking about it.

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[info]sylphae_minuo
2007-10-02 02:12 am UTC (link)
I too refused to say the pledge. I had many "talking too's" regarding my lack of participation. It was a small country school, so these things where noticed. I reminded them that that phrase was added in the 50's so was not from the Founding Fathers. I also said my family came to this country to practice religious freedom. It was my constitutional right to follow a religion other than Christianity.

They really did not push me very hard because when I was in Jr High I refused to take Home Ec. This one resulted in a "conference" with the principal.I said the policy of having the girls take Home Ec and the boys to take shop was misogynistic and perhaps the ACLU needed to know about this.

Thinking back, I think they just had no idea what to do with me. I was usually quiet until someone challenged me. It was easier just to let me be quietly disobedient .

The students are right to protest. Honestly there is a huge lack of opinio and involvement by the average citizen. The reason France has a 4 day work week and free health care is because the working class citizens will protest if the feel rights are violated.

We allow our aged to die in close to squalid nursing homes that generate a decent profit for some multinational. We allow several marginalized populations to be fired and killed. We allow a huge number of our populace to have substandard health care. I could go on for a "bit" longer, but this post is getting far too long.


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[info]lost_angelwings
2007-10-02 06:00 am UTC (link)
Pledges and athhems and everything are so silly :\

Shouldn't we have moved beyond all this tribalism by now? :\

(Reply to this) (Thread)

(Anonymous)
2007-10-04 04:36 pm UTC (link)
I also don't say the pledge -- haven't since i was a teen. I was haulted into the principals office to explain myself, which i I did -- and still defend to this day --

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america: Ummm...no. I don't believe in swearing allegiance to idols or images, and the flag is a peice of cloth - not a god.

And to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god - you really believe that we're getting that one right? We are so not a nation under god, and until we are, I can't speak that lie

Indivisable -- we are a ntation devided along racial, religious, ethnic, sexual, and economic lines. I'm not going to affirm that lie

With liberty and justice for all -- Again, I think not. It should reald with liberty and justic for the rich and powerful few.

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