A boy, pledge of allegiance, and gay marriage

[bodecea]

The concept of pledging is out dated.

Probably, since the concept of keeping one's commitments and fulfilling one's obligations seems to have fallen out of fashion.

Yes, because we all know that standing and giving a pledge by rote memorization every morning is the end all and be all of being a true patriot.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I suspect some objections to his behavior are based on his protesting treatment of gays.

DUH!!!

Certainly not on my part.

The kid's heart is in the right place, but I suspect he's being groomed by the parents. Whereas I believe that, as in this case, children should be raised "to be aware of what's right, what's wrong, and what's fair", they should also be taught some semblence of diplomacy when it comes to expressing as much.

There was no intent to point at you with that suspicion. I do think it is a cause of the jeering and name calling he receives.

It always amazes me how people think the freedom of speech means a right to have everyone else admire your opinions when you express them, and then get all butt-hurt when they find out that standing up for what you think is right often means the discomfort of enduring ridicule from others.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I had.a fit about it with the principal. I knew the kids didn't have to say it, but they were still expected to stand. When I tell a student to "sit" and he refuses, he can be disciplined. When I tell him to "stand" he can ignore me. Makes sense eh? I believe there is a law in NJ that everyone must stand for the Star Spangled banner at public events. I guess we are teaching kids to disobey the law. Yep. I think we are,

Y'know, if I were at a sporting event in another country, and everyone else stood for THEIR national anthem, I'd stand, too. Wouldn't sing it, because I probably wouldn't know it, but I think a display of courtesy and respect for that country and its people is minimal good manners. That should certainly apply to MY OWN country, even if I was not particularly thrilled with everything about it at the moment.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I had.a fit about it with the principal. I knew the kids didn't have to say it, but they were still expected to stand. When I tell a student to "sit" and he refuses, he can be disciplined. When I tell him to "stand" he can ignore me. Makes sense eh? I believe there is a law in NJ that everyone must stand for the Star Spangled banner at public events. I guess we are teaching kids to disobey the law. Yep. I think we are,

I guess you went into teaching to have captives you can browbeat. Betcha no one but the little asskissers "like" teacher!

Back in the day, when the "prayer" was still part of the protocol, there was a bitch that every damned day had the Jewish kids march outside the class and close the door while everyone else said it. Most of her students, after all this time, still remember her as a hateful bitch.

There are some that should never be allowed the privilege of teaching.

Children forced to participate in what is nothing more than rote hypocrisy are taught that fronting and being hypocritical and "lip service" are OK.

Methinks someone needs to have the concepts of "discipline" and "authority" explained to her, preferably before she breeds and then takes her little savages to the same restaurant I'm eating in.

 

[Cecilie1200]

The concept of pledging is out dated.

Probably, since the concept of keeping one's commitments and fulfilling one's obligations seems to have fallen out of fashion.

Yes, because we all know that standing and giving a pledge by rote memorization every morning is the end all and be all of being a true patriot.

Hey, don't blame ME if you weren't bright enough to understand what the pledge meant in elementary school. And please don't project your comprehension problems onto the rest of us.

 

[asaratis]

Certainly not on my part.

The kid's heart is in the right place, but I suspect he's being groomed by the parents. Whereas I believe that, as in this case, children should be raised "to be aware of what's right, what's wrong, and what's fair", they should also be taught some semblence of diplomacy when it comes to expressing as much.

There was no intent to point at you with that suspicion. I do think it is a cause of the jeering and name calling he receives.

It always amazes me how people think the freedom of speech means a right to have everyone else admire your opinions when you express them, and then get all butt-hurt when they find out that standing up for what you think is right often means the discomfort of enduring ridicule from others.

My point was that had he stopped with "there's no equality and justice for all" and not added the "gays can't marry" part, the homophobes would not have slithered out of the woodwork to call him a gaywad. He would likely still have been jeered at for being "unpatriotic".

 

[Emma]

Arkansas Times



A boy refused to stand up and pledge allegiance in classroom in support of gay marriage.

Read ze article.

At the end of our interview, I ask young Will a question that might be a civics test nightmare for your average 10-year-old. Will's answer, though, is good enough — simple enough, true enough — to give me a little rush of goose pimples. What does being an American mean?

“Freedom of speech,” Will says, without even stopping to think. “The freedom to disagree. That's what I think pretty much being an American represents.”

Wow.

Good for him

 

[blastoff]

I'm waiting for a baby seal to do the same. Maybe a puppy, too.

Save a baby seal. Club a greenie to death instead.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Arkansas Times



A boy refused to stand up and pledge allegiance in classroom in support of gay marriage.

Read ze article.

I'm glad I wasn't this aware of sexuality when I was 10.

Sounds like a smart kid.

I'm not sure refusing to say the pledge is applaudable but it is his right as an american to do so.

 

[beowolfe]

im sorry but I think this boy is just a self righteous ass

Why? Because he's smarter than you?

 

[Si modo]

I'm waiting for a baby seal to do the same. Maybe a puppy, too.

Save a baby seal. Club a greenie to death instead.

But greenies have the cute factor going for them, too - so doe-eyed and simple-minded.

 

[beowolfe]

Arkansas Times



A boy refused to stand up and pledge allegiance in classroom in support of gay marriage.

Read ze article.

I'm glad I wasn't this aware of sexuality when I was 10.

Sounds like a smart kid.

I'm not sure refusing to say the pledge is applaudable but it is his right as an american to do so.

It is if your refusing to say it is because we are not living up to it.

 

[beowolfe]

I'm waiting for a baby seal to do the same. Maybe a puppy, too.

Save a baby seal. Club a greenie to death instead.

Is killing your answer to everything?

 

[asaratis]

Arkansas Times



A boy refused to stand up and pledge allegiance in classroom in support of gay marriage.

Read ze article.

So this one learned to bend over and shit on national respect due to cheap special interest propaganda at a young age!

Should we be surprised?

This is a pretty piss poor way of trying to change things, if one feels so strongly about it. Look how Obama ended up, he shits on national respect as president.

How wonderful.

Mike

No. He quite politely made a statement regarding the pledge's worth when considered in terms of it's employment.


Here is one who shits on the country!

Rate their relative disrespects of American government on a scale of 1 to 10.

 

[AllieBaba]

I've no problem with people refusing to recite the pledge for political or religious reasons.

But what jumped out in the article was the comment that we're "taking away" the rights of the homosexuals' right to marriage.

How can you take away a right that doesn't exist?

 

[WillowTree]

im sorry but I think this boy is just a self righteous ass

not to mention a Dummie for his ventriloquist daddy!

 

[Neser Boha]

I had a Puerto Rican student refuse to stand for the Pledge. He claimed he was "Puerto Rican and not American" Um ok. His real reason was he was just lazy and defiant. The principal said "That's ok". Shortly thereafter half the class refused to stand because they were "too tired". We might as well do away with it. Losers often win. Esp. in public education.

Personally, I am of the opinion that if you do not feel inclined to pledge allegiance to the country, that is your right. However, you should also be prepared to seek a new homeland and fuck off out of the USA.

I'm harsh like that. Living outside the USA makes one appreciate just how very cool the USA is.

Spoken like a true fanatic

 

[JW Frogen]

It was not political, Puerto Ricans have really big asses, if they stand too long they die.

 

[Neser Boha]

I had a Puerto Rican student refuse to stand for the Pledge. He claimed he was "Puerto Rican and not American" Um ok. His real reason was he was just lazy and defiant. The principal said "That's ok". Shortly thereafter half the class refused to stand because they were "too tired". We might as well do away with it. Losers often win. Esp. in public education.

I don't think any child should be pushed to participate in any nationalistic bullshit parade - especially one that is of another nationality. I think the best way one can show 'respect to America' is by being true to its values - such as freedom of expression and freedom of speech - and not by some brainless mouthing of words every morning.

 

[Neser Boha]

Personally, I am of the opinion that if you do not feel inclined to pledge allegiance to the country, that is your right. However, you should also be prepared to seek a new homeland and fuck off out of the USA.

I'm harsh like that. Living outside the USA makes one appreciate just how very cool the USA is.

At the same time though, when I visited London on the 4th of July and saw a couple of firecrackers, I had some kind of split love for both places. You might know what I'm saying...

[/tangent]

I had an Independence Day party last year. One of my English friends asked my why it's not celebrated in England - I said "what's to celebrate, you lost!" LOL. She's not very smart - she also asked why the English don't celebrate Thanksgiving. I explained Thanksgiving as "We celebrate leaving this God-forsaken hole of a country and finding a better one". I'm mean!

Personally, I feel no loyalty to the UK - I like the country, and the people here are - for the most part - pretty cool but I have no love for it. It's not my country.

May I know why do you still remain there?