Editorial
Whether You Do or Not, the
Pledge Stands for Something
(March 31, 2006)
A recent Lasso Online survey of seven GMHS classrooms
shows that 60% of students stand for the daily Pledge of Allegiance
while the remaining 40% do not. What
do these percentages represent? Well,
it means that Mason students are clearly divided on the issue and that
they all have reasons for their morning routines. Of
course, standing and reciting the Pledge is certainly no basis on which
to judge citizenship or patriotism. Nor
does it define your character. But
the decision may deserve slightly more contemplation than you usually
give it at 8:01 a.m.
Everyone certainly has a different perspective on
what the Pledge is all about and, truly, it has a slightly different
meaning for us all. You may
simply recite it out of respect for the country in which you live,
while the student to your left may repeat it to honor those who have
died in service to the United States and the student to your right
may say it just because it’s the “American” thing to do. For
some, the Pledge provides a sense of community; for others it may be
a simple expression of gratitude for our rights and freedoms. And
for others, it may just be an accepted part of being an American, like
baseball, fireworks on the 4th of July or Thanksgiving.
Of course, you may be one of the 40% of Mason students
who choose not to stand for the Pledge, and you have every right to
do so. But perhaps that is the very reason why you
should stand, or at least strongly reflect on the reason why you choose
to stay seated. As we all know,
this country is far from perfect, but the ideals that the flag stands
for have little to do with our current foreign policy or who’s in the
White House.
Perhaps it just doesn’t
seem cool to recite the pledge. The action of putting your hand over your heart
and reverently speaking to a piece of cloth may even seem silly or
pointless. But the flag is supposed
to stand for everything good and admirable about this country, and
even the most cynical has to admit that there really is a lot to admire,
the least of which being your right to decide whether or not to stand
and recite the Pledge. Many have pointed out that due to the 1st Amendment,
the words “under God” shouldn’t be included; others have noted that
there really isn’t always “liberty and justice for all.” But there is plenty about this country to be
proud of -- our democracy, our diversity, our freedom, our citizens,
and (for the most part) our history. Especially
with so much turmoil in the world, our continuing quest to live up
to the flag’s ideals is quite inspiring, perhaps even inspiring enough
for us to put aside our grievances and take time to reflect.
So the next time that
8:01 comes around, try to put aside your early morning sleepiness and
think for a moment about what
you’re doing. Why are you sitting? Or, just as importantly, why are you standing? Ultimately,
the decision will always be yours, but perhaps the fact that you have
the right to make that decision will cause you to give it a little
more consideration.
