MY NEW HERO
Lily SanGiovanni
SOUTH PORTLAND — It’s a story about three top students at South Portland High School, four little words added to the daily invitation to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and a provocative Facebook post that provided an unexpected lesson in the politics of the freedom of speech. Senior class president Lily SanGiovanni sparked community outrage in January when she changed the way she invited students and faculty members to recite the pledge. “At this time,” SanGiovanni said over the intercom, “would you please rise and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance if you’d like to.”…. The addition of “if you’d like to” inflamed simmering opposition from staff members who had been wrestling with the pledge issue since June. It also triggered an emotional, anti-immigrant backlash in the community and left SanGiovanni and her friends searching for a way to carry their cause forward.
Imagine that you lived in a country in which students were indoctrinated, taught their homeland is heads and shoulders above all others, AND forced to recite a statement every morning pledging allegiance to their homeland. You might reasonably think of countries like Iran, North Korea, or one of a number of repressive regimes. Now imagine that the country in question is our own, the United States of America, self-professed beacon of freedom. I don’t know about you, but I find that to be rather chilling.
Like most Americans of a certain age, I grew up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at the start of the school day. It was just what we did- we didn’t know we had any alternative. It was done by rote and thus stripped of any meaning. Every morning we recited a collection of words because that was what we were supposed to do. The fact that it was called the Pledge of Allegiance really didn’t mean much, because we never had cause to give it much thought. The problem with requiring something to be done on a daily basis is that you run the risk of it becoming so routine as to be meaningless. The ridiculous manufactured furor over the Pledge at South Portland High School only proves that the importance lies not in the meaning of the words but in the performance. It matters not so much that children understand the meaning of what they’re reciting, it only matters that they do it. It’s about blind obedience, not critical thought.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the controversy is the response throughout the community. The ad-libbing of four simple words: “if you’d like to” has set off a response notable for its ignorance, reaction, and silliness. How sad is it when the most reasonable people in this “debate” are the students? They seem to be the only ones who recognize what Maine law mandates. Under state law, students cannot be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Somehow, that option has morphed within the community into some distressingly anti-immigrant statements…and a de facto requirement that the Pledge be recited daily without thought or question.
By Jan. 15, a Facebook post by a local businessman was drawing a flurry of anti-immigrant, anti-welfare, pro-veteran comments from people who assumed that the students behind the change were immigrants. South Portland High’s 900 students include immigrants and the children of immigrants from countries across the globe.
“So much for the All American city,” wrote Rob Soucy of Port Harbor Marine. “Standing for the Pledge of Allegiance is OPTIONAL for students at South Portland High School. So, let me get this straight, we just spent $47 million of taxpayer money on a Taj Mahal school renovation and the kids (of families that probably don’t have to pay taxes to begin with) can’t be forced to stand for 30 freaking seconds to honor the symbol of the country they live in and off! Are you kidding me?”….
“I say (send) them back where (they) came from - they must like war better than freedom,” wrote one commenter.
“This is disgusting and very discouraging for the next generation and good parents like yourselves. Something has got to change,” wrote another.
Shortly thereafter, the school’s Principal asked SanGiovanni to eliminate “if you’d like to” from her announcement of the Pledge of Allegiance. So this is what we’ve come to? A world in which the racists and haters hold the power and they’re able to use the power of their considerable righteous outrage to force the legally optional Pledge of Allegiance to become a de facto command performance.
FREEDUMB!!
Maine law states the public school students must be educated in what a wonderful and unique place America is. That education in American Exceptionalism must
“impress upon the youth by suitable references and observances the significance of the flag, to teach them the cost, the object and principles of our government, the inestimable sacrifices made by the founders of our nation, the important contribution made by all who have served in the armed services of our country since its inception, and to teach them to love, honor and respect the flag of our country that costs so much and is so dear to every true American citizen.”
Despite this mandated education in the many wonders of American Exceptionalism, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is OPTIONAL under state law…not that the haters and racists give a damn about the law. All they seem to care about is that students be required to recite the Pledge, thus- at least in the minds of the haters- proving their devotion and allegiance to America. What they refuse to understand is that reciting a string of words means nothing…unless all you care about is blind obedience to authority.
Lost in the Sturm und Drang is the fact that making the Pledge mandatory has stripped it of all meaning. Requiring daily rote recitation has reduced it to a meaningless aggregation of words that students chant because they feel they have to. What they may not know is that under Maine law they DON’T have to recite the Pledge.
“It’s hard because every time it’s brought up, everyone’s opinion gets brought up,” Gaby Ferrell said. “Some people also don’t want it to be known that it’s an option, because they don’t want it to be optional.”
Ultimately, the young women want students and faculty members to understand that the liberty espoused in the pledge includes the freedom not to say it.
“We respect that some people want to say the pledge, but some people don’t,” said Morrigan Turner. “We’ve felt forced to have to say it, and we don’t want others to feel that.”
Ultimately, that’s what this is about: RESPECT. The young women understand that some want to recite the Pledge, and they respect that. All they’re asking is that the rights of those who may not want to recite the Pledge also be respected.
How sad is it when high school students are the most reasoned and rational voices in this debate? The adults are the ones demonstrating their ignorance and immaturity; it’s the students who actually understand and care what the law says.
Perhaps it’s time for the adults to grow up and recognize the poor example they’re setting for their children. Like that’s going to happen….
