Pledge
of Allegiance respectful, necessary
Sean Cocca
Last month, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida filed suit against
a high school on behalf of a student who claims he was harassed and ridiculed
by teachers and administrators for not standing and participating in the Pledge
of Allegiance. The issue arose because Florida law states students must receive
written permission from their parents before they can refuse to recite the oath.
The ACLU claims the law is unconstitutional.
I do not believe the ACLU has a case. Children have few, if any, constitutional
rights until 18. The rights of the parents supercede all of their children’s
rights, so Florida’s law requiring permission slips seems reasonable. Americans
do not like being told certain members of the populace have no rights. However,
three types of people have no rights or their rights are superceded by others:
those under 18, those who are mentally unfit and those in the military.
I do not understand the mentality of most people who turn their backs on the
flag or who refuse to stand and salute it or participate in the pledge. Sure,
they have their constitutional right to not stand, but their reasoning is usually
questionable.
Most say they do not respect the actions America is taking or approve of what
the president or Congress is doing so they do not stand. Or sometimes they have
some kind of understanding that this is what America “truly means.”
The student in this case said he thinks the flag stands for “freedom, liberty
and equality.” He claims the recent actions that America has taken have
tarnished these tenets, and that is why he refuses to stand for the pledge.
If he truly believes the flag stands for “freedom, liberty and equality,” why
not respect it by standing respectfully and pledging his allegiance to that flag?
There is no part of the pledge that says, “I pledge allegiance to the president
of the United States of America.” One pledges his or her allegiance to
the country and the Republic, not to any one individual. One is pledging himself
or herself to the ideals of America, not to the people who run it.
People claim to have this bounding patriotism where they think they know, better
than anyone else, what America means, and therefore do not have to participate
with their fellow Americans. The Pledge is something meant to unite us as a country,
as a people. It is not meant to cause controversy.
I do not understand groups like the ACLU. They are constantly taking the stance
that the individual is greater than the whole's. But really, that is the stance
of most Americans today.
No one seems to consider the long-term effects of anything any more. We have
a system that rewards the least deserving members of society with respect, consideration
and praise.
If someone feels they are a victim of racism, sexism or sexual harassment they
are, and no one can challenge their claim.
If someone says he or she is a victim, there are countless organizations that
will take up his or her cause without the slightest regard for truth or circumstance.
We are in a sad shape in this country. This politically correct insanity is out
of control, and it is time we all recognized it for what it is.
I still respect America’s ideals—the philosophies upon which this
country was founded. That is why I stand for the Pledge. That is why I place
my hand over my heart. That is why I truly believe the words I say. The people
who refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance have a false notion of true patriotism.
One should not defy the symbols of America, or even America itself, and claim
to be patriotic.
One ideal our American school system is supposed to instill in its students is
respect. The fact that this student would not stand for the Pledge, even though
every other student in the class was standing, shows me he has little or no respect
for the beliefs of his fellow students.
When someone wins a gold medal at the Olympics, his or her national anthem is
played. Those who took silver and bronze, as well as the people in the audience,
stand out of respect for that person and their country. Why can’t this
student, as well as every other person who, for whatever reason, does not stand
and recite the Pledge, just stand quietly out of respect for the vast majority
of people who do?
Even though it is someone’s constitutional right to refuse to stand and
recite the Pledge, I still believe it is very disrespectful to everyone else
who does.
Sean Cocca is a senior journalism major and the news editor of the Daily
Forty-Niner.
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