paxetaurora said:
The pledge isn't a "government" thing, really, is it? Like, there's no law saying students have to say it and students can't be made to say it?
actually in minnesota, where i live and go to school as a high school sophomore, it was passed into law last year that k-12 public schools must say the pledge once a week unless a district chooses to forego it. the district i live in didn't. ... here's my view
political stance #1: separation of church & state
pledge of allegiance
ahh political stance number one, the separation of church and state. with the new school year changes are going to be taking effect at the schools, so the principals say. i'm in high school, as many of you know, at a good sized suburban public school. i was reading the changes that are to take affect at the school this coming year, and there was one, only one, that i was thoroughly upset by. no, it was not that they would be shutting off the vending machines at school during school hours (though i was mildly distraught by that as well). since i was unaware that our state passed the ridiculous legislation about the pledge of allegiance it caught me by surprise. legislation was passed in this great state of minnesota that schools have to say the pledge of allegiance on a regular basis. i know i have brought this topic up in many different conversations with my friends, but it sparked little interest. the words of the pledge: "i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god..." STOP. i go to a public school, not a catholic or protestant school. not a bible school. i am a christian, so im okay with GOD, but i'm sure there are many people in school that are of other religions or are lacking in religion all together. there should be no mention of god (any god, really) in the school, or at least it being regularly required by the school and, moreover, by a law. as soon as i read it i came said something to my mom (i can't recall what it was i voiced). she told me, "you don't have to stand and say it, but if you don't you'll be marked as a communist." i laughed at her, but she's right, well sort of. you see, i will be indicated as someone who will not conform to this ludicrous law. go ahead call me a communist, i find nothing wrong with communism, especially when compared to the society that we live in.
so, here's my basic point: if you love this country and the freedoms it stands for and the laws that have come through precedents you'll see my point. i know many people will not agree with it, but at least try and visualize where i'm coming from. the basic rule of separation of church and state. well, just look at those two words church is a place of worship of a god. state is government. my school gets its funding from the government, therefore we are a government run school. our government should not condone a certain religion just because all of our presidents to date happen to be christians. we are supposed to be able to choose our own religion and not follow that of a controlling government. and, moreover, there is supposed to be no connection between church and state (look up the word separation). so i exercise my basic right as a born citizen of the united states to sit and not say a word, while my classmates stand and become enthralled in something they may or may not believe just because they don't want to be an 'enemy of the state.'
... actually, alot has changed since i wrote that... the district did not choose to forego the pledge, but we have done it a number of, i believe 6 times, each time i sat quietly waiting for my classmates to finish. i do not know the reason why our school (the only high school in the district) doesn't do the pledge anymore, but i have a hunch that it has to do with 1) the attitudes of the students and 2) many teachers are also opposed to saying the pledge in schools