Everyday, students of grades 1-12 are encouraged to say the Pledge of Allegiance, a pledge that was designed to reaffirm our beliefs and find solice in its motivating words. One day, I came into homeroom late, as that is how the D.O.E. saw it. But the way I saw it? Destiny was the reason I was there on what I'd like to call "right on time." My homeroom teacher was screaming at the class, saying that we should say the Pledge because "it's the least we could do for the soldiers fighting for this country." I tried to forget it, I really did. But something about what she said made steam come out of my ears. The least we could do for our troops was to throw a welcoming party for them, not say the pledge. Why would I want to remind them that the very country they swore their allegiance to is encouraging kids to say the farthest thing from the truth? Think about it. Do we really have justice for all? (That's rhetorical, if you didn't know.) If we had justice for all, I wouldn't recieve such suspicious looks when I walk into a store with items worth more than $2.00. If we had justice for all, my skin color wouln't be associated with guns, gangs, and a tendency to shoot people. If we really had liberty and justice for all, this problem- nay, this epidemic- would have ended 55 years ago, when Civil leaders strived, bled, and died just so that future generations wouldn't have to put up with it. But no- a white female dating a biracial boy is considered "lowering her standards." Since when did love mean lowering you standards to be with someone of a different skin color? If you liked or loved someone, would their race matter? For the people who say no, I respect you and hope to meet you someday. For the people who say yes, its been over 450 years. Grow up.