Bringing Patriotism Back
The Pledge of Allegiance returns to LHS every Monday
March 15, 2021
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Most people have not heard or even uttered these words since middle school when we used to do the Pledge of Allegiance every single day. At Liberty, the Pledge of Allegiance has not been said over the intercom for a very long time.
On Tuesday, March 9, that changed. The Pledge was recited again over the intercom as people all around the school either stood for the flag or looked around in confusion.
According to Mr. Nelson, we will be doing the pledge from now on every Monday morning. With everything that has been going on in the world for the past year, it’s understandable why saying the pledge hasn’t been kept up on a consistent schedule.
“We are required by state law to say the pledge but with COVID and the different schedules throughout the year, we just kind of got away from it,” Mr. Nelson said. “But we were reminded that we have to do it. We are going to try to do it every Monday.”
Freshman Alex Reyes sent a petition and a link to Mr.Nelson about the state law to try and get the pledge started here at Liberty again.
“It’s important to do the pledge because it represents the unity of the 50 states and that even though we all feel a little divided right now, we are still one nation and one country under God,” Reyes said. Some people agree with this statement and others do not.
Sophomore Joshua McGinnis is happy to see that the Pledge has returned.
“This is a very good thing to remind us that we live in the best country on this planet and the flag shows the people who fought for the freedom and rights that we have today.”
While this idea has many students’ approval, there are also some students who aren’t quite on board with the idea.
“I personally love the country that I live in because of the opportunities that it has given me,” junior Sruthi Ramesh said. “But even so, I know that this flag has represented so many atrocities and injustices that I simply cannot support or stand for. Many of my friends have agreed, that overall, when we see the American flag, we are not afforded the privilege of feeling proud. Instead, we feel as though it is a reminder of all that is wrong with the country from the second of its conception (pointedly, racism). When tiny children are forced to pledge their undying allegiance to a piece of fabric that they don’t even know represents so much, it feels wrong to me. I personally can’t do that- it doesn’t sit right to me ethically. I don’t have a problem with other people reciting the pledge of allegiance though, it is their right to do so. I think that the history of the flag and what it represents (the means of its birth and longevity) don’t make me comfortable with freely reciting my undying love for it,” she said. “I will stand during the pledge in respect, but I do not recite it or put my hand over my heart.”
