Once again our "so-called" President has changed the conversation, and not for the better. His ploy to turn the protests over the protests about police brutality into nauseating palaver about mere patriotism has succeeded. Once again the media takes the bait and the chattering classes have fallen into the pit of choosing to be "partiotic" by standing for the playing of the national anthem or the pledge of allegiance or both. The talk of course slips into our schools were students are compelled to attend and have been informed by the Supreme Court no less that standing for the Pledge is not compulsory. In my opinion that's exactly right.
As a teacher who has confronted this very issue first hand in the class room I respect my students enough to allow them to choose. As the leader of the class and a representative of the school I don't feel I can choose myself whether to stand or not to stand. I have to set the example of following the expectation and do so regardless of how I might feel or think at any given point in time. But my students are not burdened by that responsibility and can pick for themselves whether they wish to stand or not. I will explore the the issue with them, but never will I compel them to comply. It's not my right to do so. Now we have school districts in Louisiana starting to pick this "fake" fight by requiring their athletes to stand because those extra-curricular activities fall outside the Supreme Court's mandate, or so they believe. I don't agree with that.
Demonstrating patriotism is not something which can be demanded or compelled, or the very act defeats itself. Forcing an individual citizen in a free society to stand for a ritual of such a kind is antithetical to the very nature of the country and I am well and truly gobsmacked that advocates of liberty who won't surrender a gun under nearly any circumstances would agree even for a second with such a misguided mandate. Students are in school to be taught to make decisions for themselves and without the ability to demonstrate the fruits of that learning, it makes the entire exercise a hollow one.
Let me be clear, no American should ever be forced at any time to signal allegiance to the nation. That's an idealistic idea and the realities of responsibility to minors makes that less than a perfect response, but in normal circumstances it must never be the case that a free citizen be made to kowtow to some singular notion of patriotism. Rather leaders in the community and government and elsewhere should make certain that citizens all feel that they are part of a society which values each of its individuals and which proves that sanctity of life is paramount for those citizens. Any citizen can feel disenchanted with their leaders and many perhaps most often do. They must be free to demonstrate that displeasure, that sense of a failing by peacefully expressing themselves. They should not be forced to lie about how they feel, nor should they be compelled to demonstrate "patriotism" as defined by others, even the majority of their fellow citizens. Feel free to disagree with me, that's your right, and I respect that right. Live free or die, I think someone once said.
Rip Off
Thank you for your thoughts, Rip. They mirror my own. I didn't know you are a teacher, but now it all makes sense. I teach college-level art students myself, and I too have the same misgivings with what is happening in our country, and in the world at large. To me, the events of the past several months seems to be someone's idea of a joke gone very wrong. Recently, I read an old essay by EB White (famed author of Charlotte's Web) that is appropriate to our times. It is titled "Bedfellows" and he laments the urging in the 1950s of bringing prayer into the spheres of public life. It's a very progressive take toward assumptions that seem to still be around today.
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