Why would we rather subject school children to a daily ritual of political indoctrination instead of a daily ritual of thanks? Reading this piece brought up a lot of my personal feelings to the pledge and it's implications. It made me think about the political insecurities of this country and the ramifications those insecurities have on it's inhabitants.
From a young age, I feel that a type of competitive nationalism is fostered and encouraged. While having pride in your country is not negative, the inability to look at the current issues and injustices with objectivity is. Being part of multiple minority groups in this country, I can't genuinely pledge "to the republic for which it stands" because in light of recent political events we are clearly not indivisible, there is clearly not justice for all, and we shouldn't be one nation under God because there should be a separation of Church and State that seems to continually blur under the current leadership.
On the other hand, I am eternally thankful to have been born here and to have had the opportunities that I would not have gotten somewhere else. I am thankful for the freedoms I have and the sacrifices that were made for those freedoms. I am thankful for a growing culture of diversity and acceptance. I am thankful to even be allowed to express my duality in opinion on this subject matter as well.
To give gratitude before anything else, to find commonality before any important decision or discussion, to make a promise to a people instead of a flag is a radical and beautiful concept and something I wish we could all collectively decide to do for the betterment of our whole.
From a young age, I feel that a type of competitive nationalism is fostered and encouraged. While having pride in your country is not negative, the inability to look at the current issues and injustices with objectivity is. Being part of multiple minority groups in this country, I can't genuinely pledge "to the republic for which it stands" because in light of recent political events we are clearly not indivisible, there is clearly not justice for all, and we shouldn't be one nation under God because there should be a separation of Church and State that seems to continually blur under the current leadership.
On the other hand, I am eternally thankful to have been born here and to have had the opportunities that I would not have gotten somewhere else. I am thankful for the freedoms I have and the sacrifices that were made for those freedoms. I am thankful for a growing culture of diversity and acceptance. I am thankful to even be allowed to express my duality in opinion on this subject matter as well.
To give gratitude before anything else, to find commonality before any important decision or discussion, to make a promise to a people instead of a flag is a radical and beautiful concept and something I wish we could all collectively decide to do for the betterment of our whole.
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