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In Theory: Opting out of the Pledge of Allegiance

From left, San Francisco 49ers' Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid kneel during the national anthem before a NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Seattle.

From left, San Francisco 49ers’ Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid kneel during the national anthem before a NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Seattle.

(Ted S. Warren / AP)
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In Florida, school districts require students to stand for the national anthem and Pledge of Allegiance.

The Orange County Public Schools in Florida announced this month that students must have permission from their parents to kneel during the anthem at football games, after some students did so in support of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest.

But requiring students to obtain parental permission isn’t necessary, writes Jeffrey Salkin, in his Religion News Service column.

“Judaism believes that young people achieve moral majority when they were 13 years old,” Salkin writes. “That means that we believe that young people are old enough to begin to grapple with these issues for themselves.”

Q. Should students be required to obtain parental permission to kneel during the anthem? What does your faith teach you about acts of patriotism and protest?

The fact is that absent substantial disruption to school discipline, students have a right to protest at school. A student who chooses not to pledge allegiance to the flag, sing the national anthem, or stand or cover their heart for either activity, is entirely within her or his rights. As a recent Los Angeles Times editorial reiterated, any coerced patriotism at school violates the 1st amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This has been settled law for 75 years.

I would hope that as part of active, positive, supportive family communication, a student weighing such a decision would be able to turn to parents or guardians for discussion and advice, however I don’t think parental permission should be required.

My belief is that our country’s powerful, emotionally charged patriotic symbols and rituals should be respected as one’s conscience dictates. The rules governing flag etiquette are delineated in the flag code, which is printed in the U.S. Code, yet described as “advisory.” No law compels saluting, singing or making any other gesture.

It is not our flag nor singing our national anthem that secures our precious rights, which come from the Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights and important amendments following those original 10. But these rights only became real for all Americans through great struggle and effort, and yes, protest.

I participated with other locals in an American Civil Liberties Union-supported project to observe Constitution Day this month by volunteering for a few hours to present information on our rights at some Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena secondary and middle schools. Such presentations are legally mandated in all public schools by California law, and there aren’t nearly enough volunteers to go around, so if you want to help while gaining a clearer understanding yourself of the U.S. Constitution, plus have lots of revelatory (and fun) interaction with youth, go to ACLUSoCal.org and volunteer next year!

Roberta Medford
Atheist
Montrose

I remember in days of yore when students stood for the Pledge to begin our day, and only the Jehovah’s Witness kids would remain seated. It was their right, but the rest of us suspected that they weren’t really all that faithful to the good of our nation. They sat there, thumbing their noses at us “American” kids, we thought, “and what’s the matter with them anyway?”

Now it’s not like we were all a bunch of pagans, and this non-Christian cult had anything to teach us, but our civil Pledge requires pledging, and the same affirms God. Most religions affirm a god, and most don’t forbid secular allegiances, but in America, some are the reverse, and many people believe in nothing. Still, pledging fidelity to one’s people and homeland is of great benefit to all, as it instills loyalty and common cause. Does the cause ultimately define anyone? In some cases, yes, but ultimately, it doesn’t truly for the pious, as nothing may trump God.

As for immigrants, they should completely buy-in and pledge allegiance and honor our anthem if they desire citizenship here where the articles are affirmed. But current citizens may disparage their homeland if they wish, and also find the repercussions acceptable; if professional athletes desire positions on patriotic teams, then they better be patriotic or go do something else. It’s a person’s right to protest, and likewise to be excluded. It’s a choice on both sides.

I don’t think parental permission slips should be issued for unpatriotic students, but I do think a parental heads-up should be issued after the fact. I also think that patriotism and American quality should be a regular feature of this free government education these students take for granted. There are many ways to show sympathy for injustice, but it shouldn’t come by insulting the people who helped make our country great, or despising our national creeds.

Rev. Bryan A. Griem
Tujunga

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