Priceless Allegiance | Teen Ink

Priceless Allegiance

May 18, 2009
By Hallie Messenger BRONZE, Bellingham, Washington
Hallie Messenger BRONZE, Bellingham, Washington
4 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Now please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance… Hand Salute… “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.”

I hear chairs squeaking against the linoleum floor. Most of my class stands and obliges the droning voice everyday, but there are always a couple students that stay sitting, completely silent.

As I glance out of the corner of my eye I notice these few children, either entirely sitting or standing and not saluting or voicing any words. I shake my head in shame. According to our constitution we all are granted freedom. I agree, one should be able to choose to say The Pledge of Allegiance or not. Honestly though, why wouldn’t you? Why would you not want to illustrate patriotism and respect to your own country?

Millions of soldiers have died for this country, for your safety, for your freedom. The only reason it is possible to object to saying The Pledge of Allegiance is because of what The Pledge of Allegiance stands for. It clearly states “with liberty…for all”. This liberty has been fought for and brought to the power it is today, because of our founding fathers will, because of the strength of what we believe in, because of the determination of soldiers. We should all honor those who have sacrificed themselves for this implausible gift.

Some can easily argue the fact that we do have liberty, the liberty to express and follow our own religious customs and beliefs. I can see that in many senses, you should be able to wear appropriate religious attire, have equal opportunities to achieve the American dream, etc. I agree with all that, but in the mix nobody who lives in America and even more, attends a public school, should not want to honor their nation.

I can vaguely understand those in private schools, paying for their own education, yet hardly in any public school. This Nation provides everyone the right to an education, it secures them a future if wanted badly enough. If they don’t want to pledge any loyalty whatsoever to the country, but are using the educational freedom of it, paid for and provided by this Nation’s government, isn’t that a little hypocritical?

We have people, illegal immigrants, who are risking their lives to partake and live in America. On the other hand we have people who already have this right, this privilege and are dishonoring it, throwing it away. These insolent people are like the wealthy kids who can get into college with bad grades, having all the connections in the world. While the illegal immigrants, are like the kids who worked their butts off attaining a perfect GPA, who are underprivileged and have applied for tens of scholarships but don’t get in to their dream school, while wealthy, unintelligent people do. Therefore, those already provided with the American values should never take advantage of them and honor life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Pretty soon everyone may end like those spoiled kids who take everything they ever have in life for granted. Citizens in America will take our freedom for granted; maybe we’ll forget the crisis’ in Africa, the mistreated children and women in the Middle East. We may forget how many sacrifices have been made for our benefit and how lucky we are, to already be free and privileged. We may just forget what we stand for. So those with the privileges and rights, make due of them. Honor them; don’t overlook how lucky Americans truly are.

“My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!” Freedom is absolute. Choices are also absolute. We have a choice to say The Pledge of Allegiance, to express our loyalty and thankfulness to our founding fathers, and to the greatness of our Nation. A choice displays more affection than having to be obligated to do so. So make the choice. Bestow thankfulness and loyalty to our country. Say The Pledge of Allegiance.


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This article has 12 comments.


on Nov. 21 2010 at 6:18 pm
SkyDeer PLATINUM, Mebane, North Carolina
20 articles 19 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
Respect the nerds, they will be your boss someday- The Computer Guy.
The best is yet to come and baby won't it be fine- A band.
Defiant is the best word in the dictionary!

No kidding.

on Nov. 21 2010 at 1:40 pm
Hallie Messenger BRONZE, Bellingham, Washington
4 articles 0 photos 21 comments
Thanks! I really appreciate it, in alot of my classes people don't even put in an effort to stand up. It takes like 30 seconds, and if you don't, I feel like its SOOO disrespectful!

on Nov. 21 2010 at 9:42 am
SkyDeer PLATINUM, Mebane, North Carolina
20 articles 19 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
Respect the nerds, they will be your boss someday- The Computer Guy.
The best is yet to come and baby won't it be fine- A band.
Defiant is the best word in the dictionary!

Ment Patriotism.

on Nov. 21 2010 at 9:40 am
SkyDeer PLATINUM, Mebane, North Carolina
20 articles 19 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
Respect the nerds, they will be your boss someday- The Computer Guy.
The best is yet to come and baby won't it be fine- A band.
Defiant is the best word in the dictionary!

This is a great essay! Great way to show Patiotism. Sometimes I mouth the words or half stand up just because I'm to lazy to do otherwise at that moment but I'm gonna work on that!

on Nov. 10 2010 at 2:26 pm
freeangel BRONZE, Ocala, Florida
1 article 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
love conquer all

what are you talking about i say the pledge of allegence because im thankful for having freedom I dont believe the pledge of allegence is true  the for exp. under god one nation is that true everything about that is not true liberty

on Apr. 25 2010 at 9:28 am
Shannon_Bananon, Loveland, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
About talking; why don't people ever think before they talk? It would save so much trouble; it would also save me from wanting to slap about half of the world's population.
~Fictional Character (Brilliant, but, sadly, fake.)

I don't entirely agree with you. I say the pledge myself, because I am thankful for this county and the freedom it gives me, but I think you aren't really thinking of this in another person's shoes.

"Why would you not want to illustrate patriotism and respect to your own country?"
Perhaps they are not citizens, or are patriotic for a different country.

"The only reason it is possible to object to saying The Pledge of Allegiance is because of what The Pledge of Allegiance stands for. It clearly states “with liberty…for all”."  

Is there really liberty for all? What about gay marriage? Where's the freedom for gay people to marry someone of the same gender? And maybe those kids you see have someone in jail, someone they love, though they are innocent. If I was in that situation, I don't think I would pledge my allegience to the flag that put a loved one in jail. Though I realize it's not the country's fault for this, the pledge claims that there is justice for all. Until that happens, I wouldn't have to say the pledge, or at least that part of it.

About the illegal immigrants thing. No. That is untrue. Immigrants do that, illegal immigrants are criminals. And I don't think it's fair of you to think of the American citizen as a lazy, rich kid. They don't sit because they are lazy. If they were lazy, they wouldn't turn their homework in. They wouldn't stand out by sitting during the pledge. Only the kids who really believe the pledge is untrue sit, and I wish I had the courage to do so too. One more thing about this comment on illegal immigrants. If they're the one's working their butt off, and rich kids are the ones who are lazy, where are the legal immigrants, like me? The one's with green cards, who want to take advantage of this privilage of living in the US, a privilage some of our own flesh and blood wish they could have.

Scholarships are for the underprivilaged. You can't apply for a scholarship unless you have something to show for it. The 'unintelligent bunch' cannot get them.

Your article is mixing issues. You're not fully focused on why some kids don't say it. You're just assuming it's for petty reasons, like being rich. I found this unconnected and politically incorrect. Next time, make sure you get your facts right before you offend people with a misguided article.


Descant GOLD said...
on Jul. 14 2009 at 8:21 pm
Descant GOLD, Huntington Beach, California
15 articles 40 photos 26 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened" –Albert Camus

Good essay. I'd like to mention, though, that under some people's religious beliefs, pledging yourself to anything other than god is considered idolatry.



I myself always keep my lips sealed for the "under God." What's your opinion on that?

Arapp BRONZE said...
on Jun. 8 2009 at 3:50 am
Arapp BRONZE, Bellingham, Washington
1 article 0 photos 4 comments
Well I found out i've been saying the pledge of alliegence wrong for my whole life, i'll change that tommorow. Pretty good peice, very strong voice but I disagree with the illegal immigrants.

on Jun. 7 2009 at 12:46 am
i absolutely LOVED this piece:)



nothing against it or anything, but in my school i stand out. a lot.

like, I dont just turn heads,

I break necks.



The point is, at our school, we have this one particular teacher. our writing teacher. To say the least, he's in love with sports, kinda conceited, and wants everybody to be a little Barbie Robot and all be exactly the same.



Well I refuse to say the Pledge of Allegience, because my class decided to start saying 'God' very loudly, to praise Him. When we got in trouble for it, I prayed everyday instead of saying the pledge.



I never say the pledge. The teachers hate it, though they haven't taken it to the pricipal or anything.



But if they do, I'll be absolutely happy to tell them why.





<3

on Jun. 2 2009 at 4:23 am
hullothere GOLD, Bam, Washington
13 articles 0 photos 15 comments
Dude. This piece seriously rocks! This piece really inspires me, as it should inspire others to say the pledge...

on Jun. 1 2009 at 7:56 pm
Trevor Goodridge BRONZE, Bellingham, Washington
1 article 0 photos 4 comments
this is fantastic, good point. your writing makes me want to further pursue bettering my own. ;D what a great role model.

on May. 29 2009 at 2:01 am
Frani Lazzar-Atwood BRONZE, Bellingham, Washington
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
Inspiring words, Hallie.

I am truely....

inspired.



Seriously though, you have really good voice and it is easy to see that you are passionate about the subject.



I am proud. And I am sure "All" is too.

HAHA.