Boulder students protest "God" in Pledge
In this article, by the Denver Post, many students from their fellows peers pulled them selves aside because of their beliefs; they shouldn't have to pledge to their religion (saying "under god"), but to their country. These students all believe that people should have the right to refuse to say "god," and this morning they were exercising that right. One student said, 'We don't object to pledging to our country, but we do object to pledging to a religion," said Ashley Guesman, 17, a protest organizer. So when the pledge was recited this morning over the PA system throughout Boulder High School some students walked out of their first hour to class to recite their alternative pledge. The version these students went as follows:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag and my constitutional rights with which it comes. And to the diversity in which our nation stands. One nation, part of one planet, with liberty, freedom, choice and justice for all."
The students are hoping that if they wait out this protest long enough that the school will change their ways and not broadcast the Pledge of Alligence to the whole school. If the Pledge is still broad casted throughout the whole school in a week the students are willing to try another protest scheme. Today's protest was organized by a group called "Student Worker."
In this article, by the Denver Post, many students from their fellows peers pulled them selves aside because of their beliefs; they shouldn't have to pledge to their religion (saying "under god"), but to their country. These students all believe that people should have the right to refuse to say "god," and this morning they were exercising that right. One student said, 'We don't object to pledging to our country, but we do object to pledging to a religion," said Ashley Guesman, 17, a protest organizer. So when the pledge was recited this morning over the PA system throughout Boulder High School some students walked out of their first hour to class to recite their alternative pledge. The version these students went as follows:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag and my constitutional rights with which it comes. And to the diversity in which our nation stands. One nation, part of one planet, with liberty, freedom, choice and justice for all."
The students are hoping that if they wait out this protest long enough that the school will change their ways and not broadcast the Pledge of Alligence to the whole school. If the Pledge is still broad casted throughout the whole school in a week the students are willing to try another protest scheme. Today's protest was organized by a group called "Student Worker."
Should Colorado students be forced to say the pledge, with the word "god" in it? I think everyone has their constitutional right to refuse to say the normal pledge and be able to not say the pledge at all or say an alternative one. I believe that when I say the pledge with "under god..." that i am not so much pledging to a religion but pledging to my country and our freedom. Though depending on who you talk to some people would say, reciting "under god..." is pledging to a certain religion and is against our rights because we all have the right to have our own religion. In our school today I don't see anyone who does refuse to recite the pledge, but if someone were to not say the pledge I would think of them as the same person, but I would understand their how they interpret the Pledge. Before reading this article I didn't know that people saw saying "under god...," in the pledge was against what they believe. When people say it is against what they believe it makes me wonder about what their beliefs in the world are and how saying god affects them religiously? I think this affects American citizens because people are beginning to stand up for what they believe in more and more and that might begin to change our rights. People may begin to think that they are being forced into situations when they could be avoiding them. They might start to think that the government is making decisions for them.I think if everyone would refuse to do the pledge that school should change their plans but if only some kids decide they don't want to they should be able to leave the class room to recite their modified version. If they don't want to say either they should just have to stand up as everyone else does but just not say anything. When I stand up to say the pledge I think of all our men and women soldiers fighting risking their life everyday for our rights. I also think of how people have lost lives to bring us all here today; able to be in school as not being separated by the color of our skin, but being seen as one student body and one group of learners. Then again I also think it is good for kids who are usually not taken seriously to stand up for what they believe in. It is also good for them to understand why they aren't saying it.Though I am pulled to both sides of this controversial situation I think we can all chose how and if we want to say the Pledge of Alligence.
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