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Mar. 19th, 2014 07:31 pmIn America, every student in every classroom1 stands up in the morning, places a hand over their heart, and says the pledge of allegiance to the flag hanging in the classroom. This is a real and completely normalized thing. It is also a creepy fucking piece of ritualized propaganda, especially when you realize all the modifications that have been added to the pledge over the years, you know, to defeat communism.
I don't think it's a bad idea to have a quiet moment of meditation to reflect on something that is important to you in the morning. Nor do I think it's a bad thing to be willing to affirm your belief in and love of your country. But I think the forced indoctrination -someone ELSE deciding this is what you say- is icky. There's a heavy stigma against not doing the pledge, and I feel there's a also a really distressing narrative in here about not thinking about what you say and just repeating mindlessly.
Because I'm in a second grade classroom, and don't feel like justifying myself constantly to the students, I do say it. But nothing will ever make me use the words "Under God", and I emphasize --because it isn't true but needs to be-- the last phrase. (Liberty and Justice for all.)
Man, glancing at wikipedia, I see the pledge described as an "expression of fealty" and that is creepy as shit. Ain't no one gets my fealty, I don't care if they pay my wages or provide public service, I am owned by no lord but myself.
I don't think I am going to say the pledge anymore, second graders or not. Besides the fact that being scared to answer questions ("why aren't--?") is a horrifically bad trait for a teacher of children, being taught early to think about the words you speak is a really important lesson. Besides, despite their natural curiosity about _everything_ I doubt in the hustle and bustle of getting ready in the morning they'll actually notice. I know when I'm back with the high schoolers they won't.
In middle school (and high school?) we had a moment of silence following the pledge each day. That moment was critical to me because I used the time to lift three fingers and silently recite what I found to be a far more important affirmation than loyalty to a piece of cloth: The Girl Scout Promise and Law.
It is important to me because Girl Scouts is a huge part of my identity, because I got to choose to say them, and because I agree with every line of both. A far cry from pledging myself to a country that increasingly makes my skin crawl. For reference:
(Emphasis mine)
In addition to being your standard scouting list of Good Character Traits, there are a couple things I want to draw your attention to. The first is that second line in the Promise, "to serve God* and my country". Why don't you read this footnote on the matter real quick:
I seem to recall Blue Canary2 used to say "to serve the Force and my country". I personally slip in an extra syllable --"to serve my gods and my country". Both of these are one hundred percent a-okay as far as GSUSA is concerned, as would be Allah, Buddah, Science, whatever word you want to throw in there instead. I really can't imagine the US Government being willing to publicly back people up on changing the wording of the pledge to suit their own beliefs, no matter how much bullshit gets spread about "religious freedom"3.
The other thing I'd like to point out is the wording I bolded. The Promise and Law utilize effort-based language. I will try, I will do my best, I will not commit to being one hundred percent perfect one hundred percent of the time and then feel bad about myself when I'm not. It's a pledge I can make honestly, without feeling guilty every time I fail to live up to the impossible ideal I've set.
In summation...GSUSA is superior to the US government, shocking probably no one ever who knows anything about both. I don't really have a closing statement here --this was a "getting thoughts out" post more than a "definite essay!" post.
~Sor
MOOP!
1: Never speak in absolutes.
2: But I might be recalling another camp friend instead. Yo Blue? Confirm/deny?
3: Not really interested in having this fight, especially here, but if you think the USA is not a Christian nation, you are not really paying attention to anything. Money, holidays, cultural attitude, composition of major politicians beliefs, we are so wedded to some variety of good ol' Jesus Christ and his dad.
I don't think it's a bad idea to have a quiet moment of meditation to reflect on something that is important to you in the morning. Nor do I think it's a bad thing to be willing to affirm your belief in and love of your country. But I think the forced indoctrination -someone ELSE deciding this is what you say- is icky. There's a heavy stigma against not doing the pledge, and I feel there's a also a really distressing narrative in here about not thinking about what you say and just repeating mindlessly.
Because I'm in a second grade classroom, and don't feel like justifying myself constantly to the students, I do say it. But nothing will ever make me use the words "Under God", and I emphasize --because it isn't true but needs to be-- the last phrase. (Liberty and Justice for all.)
Man, glancing at wikipedia, I see the pledge described as an "expression of fealty" and that is creepy as shit. Ain't no one gets my fealty, I don't care if they pay my wages or provide public service, I am owned by no lord but myself.
I don't think I am going to say the pledge anymore, second graders or not. Besides the fact that being scared to answer questions ("why aren't--?") is a horrifically bad trait for a teacher of children, being taught early to think about the words you speak is a really important lesson. Besides, despite their natural curiosity about _everything_ I doubt in the hustle and bustle of getting ready in the morning they'll actually notice. I know when I'm back with the high schoolers they won't.
In middle school (and high school?) we had a moment of silence following the pledge each day. That moment was critical to me because I used the time to lift three fingers and silently recite what I found to be a far more important affirmation than loyalty to a piece of cloth: The Girl Scout Promise and Law.
It is important to me because Girl Scouts is a huge part of my identity, because I got to choose to say them, and because I agree with every line of both. A far cry from pledging myself to a country that increasingly makes my skin crawl. For reference:
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God* and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.
(Emphasis mine)
In addition to being your standard scouting list of Good Character Traits, there are a couple things I want to draw your attention to. The first is that second line in the Promise, "to serve God* and my country". Why don't you read this footnote on the matter real quick:
*“ Girl Scouts of the USA makes no attempt to define or interpret the word God in the Girl Scout Promise. It looks to individual members to establish for themselves
the nature of their spiritual beliefs. When making the Girl Scout Promise, individuals may make wording appropriate to their own spiritual beliefs for the word God.”
From Girl Scouts of the USA’s Blue Book of Basic Documents, p. 23.
I seem to recall Blue Canary2 used to say "to serve the Force and my country". I personally slip in an extra syllable --"to serve my gods and my country". Both of these are one hundred percent a-okay as far as GSUSA is concerned, as would be Allah, Buddah, Science, whatever word you want to throw in there instead. I really can't imagine the US Government being willing to publicly back people up on changing the wording of the pledge to suit their own beliefs, no matter how much bullshit gets spread about "religious freedom"3.
The other thing I'd like to point out is the wording I bolded. The Promise and Law utilize effort-based language. I will try, I will do my best, I will not commit to being one hundred percent perfect one hundred percent of the time and then feel bad about myself when I'm not. It's a pledge I can make honestly, without feeling guilty every time I fail to live up to the impossible ideal I've set.
In summation...GSUSA is superior to the US government, shocking probably no one ever who knows anything about both. I don't really have a closing statement here --this was a "getting thoughts out" post more than a "definite essay!" post.
~Sor
MOOP!
1: Never speak in absolutes.
2: But I might be recalling another camp friend instead. Yo Blue? Confirm/deny?
3: Not really interested in having this fight, especially here, but if you think the USA is not a Christian nation, you are not really paying attention to anything. Money, holidays, cultural attitude, composition of major politicians beliefs, we are so wedded to some variety of good ol' Jesus Christ and his dad.
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