Two-thirds of Americans recently polled (1) are in favor of the Pledge of Allegiance recited in schools. Significantly, one-third do not. Why, I wonder. This civics issue deserves our attention, so let’s delve into the reasons behind this dissenting view.
The Pledge of Allegiance and “Forced Patriotism”
Until recently, Americans said the Pledge as a matter of loyalty to their nation. Teaching students the Pledge as a part of their education is reasonable and rational. I had never heard of “forced patriotism” in connection with our sc ols until now. In my civics classes, we start with the Pledge of Allegiance and sing a patriotic song each week. Students are eager to learn about their country (albeit shy at times to sing or recite publicly). In my humble opinion, it is adults who would even consider the recitation of the Pledge as “forced patriotism.” This appears to be a new idea that stems from a faction of people who do not want America to be uniquely “American.” What better way to erase our heritage than to label reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as “forced patriotism?” Such an idea makes it sound as though children are being deprived of freedom somehow.
The Pledge of Allegiance and the First Amendment
Some people reject reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as taking away their freedom of speech and religion. To this, I say, “This is America. We are Americans. We are responsible for guarding liberty. One way we do this is by passing on Americanism to our children. We remind ourselves and our children that we are:
– a republic
– on nation
– Under God (added later; note: children can grow and choose to believe in the God of our forefathers- or not. Our job is to teach them our American foundations; then, they can decide).
– indivisible (Americans stick together)
– with liberty and justice for all (that’s the goal!)
The Pledge of Allegiance Is Not Meant to Reflect All Values and Beliefs
Some adults believe that there should be no Pledge of Allegiance to our country because, in their minds, no one set of values and beliefs represents all Americans. That’s the point! You see, we have a set of values and beliefs. The core values and beliefs give Americans the freedom to reject them but not the right to force each individual’s replacement values and beliefs on the rest of the nation.
If not American values, whose values should our children learn? Whose beliefs are better? The core values and beliefs our forefathers gave us have stood the test of time. All others pale in comparison. That’s why everyone wants to come to the USA. They know the difference between the freedom to live individually as a part of “one nation under God” and life as one nation under a flawed dictator.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship.🇺🇸
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