“All that is required to change the world and its people to beyond recognition is a sound understanding of social engineering, a clear sight of the intended goal- and power.”
-Carl Teichrib, “The Game of Gods: The Temple of Man in The Age of Re-Enchantment”
There is no mistaking it. Most people feel it. America is undergoing an unprecedented transformation these days. It appears that every facet of the American ‘Way-of-Life’ is under reconstruction (or, in some way, being assaulted)-its traditions, its institutions, and its people, which includes its students, young and old alike.
Now, more than ever, is the time for US to think. Unless we use our logic and reasoning, we may be witnessing the last days of the greatest Republic in the history of the world. Our liberties are at stake; we must be aware, clear-headed, and educated to confront the serious challenges that lie ahead. We must not join the rabble; we must maintain the higher ground, use integrity, and be determined to keep the American experiment alive. It is imperative that we give our due diligence to the controversial issues, to remain brave in the face of chaos.
Part of the ‘social engineering’ mentioned in the opening quote, begins in our schools. History has proven that disrupting education, especially traditional practices, is a key foundational component needed to initiate bold societal changes. In America, it is in the hearts and minds of our younger generations, that the concept of individual freedoms and rights are fermented. There is no doubt, altering traditional beliefs for a Country can help to support the intended goals of any radicalized, or politicized, social movement.
Today, it seems we are witnessing the decline of American patriotism and knowledge of our history. Support for the Nation’s governmental ‘checks and balances’ appears to be disappearing. Constructive public debate is no longer acceptable. Tolerance for ‘the other side’, a mainstay of American behavior, is diminishing. Not surprisingly, something as simple as the elimination of The Pledge of Allegiance in school can have a profound negative effect on our younger students and help to support any radical changes to our society.
As a concerned citizen, I decided to give the pledge issue a closer look. I was surprised to find that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in school has not been outlawed. In fact, 47 States still have laws on the books that require students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. States with no policy for the pledge, include Wyoming, Vermont, and Hawaii. Nebraska has no statute, but in 2012, required it to be recited. It must be noted, the 1943 U.S. Supreme Court Ruling, West Virginia v. Barnette, determined that no school or government can compel someone to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or salute the flag. Some States can still require it while offering exemptions. Florida and Texas allow for a student to be exempted from reciting the pledge only if a parent or guardian consents.
Of the States that require the pledge, there is some leeway that allows for students to not take it. It is this ‘leeway’ (the exemptions) that must be investigated. If students are not reciting the pledge, we must find out why. We must ask why some teachers and/or school administrations are seemingly not allowing it to be recited (if that truly is the case). The answer might surprise you, but before I explain, it’s important to know the oath’s history.
The Pledge of Allegiance has been part of American life since 1892 and reciting it in our schools has been a tradition ever since. With respect to the current chaos in our schools, naturally we would think, what better way to disrupt the American way of life than to stop students from reciting the pledge it in our schools; however, we must understand, reciting the patriotic oath, despite its ubiquity, is not a legal requirement. Why? It violates the First Amendment, which protects free speech.
There are better ways for us to be involved with this issue than to be angry, a conspiratorialist, or even becoming violent. We The People, as parents and citizens, must not jump the gun. The sky for the pledge is not falling as we might think. For the sake of our Country, it is imperative to dig deeper, to ask the valid questions, and to get some honest answers to those questions.
We must get personally involved in our children’s education. We have the right to ask them if they are reciting the pledge, and if not, find out why. We need to know whose decision it was for them to recite or not to recite it? Are their teachers not initiating the pledge OR are they allowing students their legal leeway? This is the crux. This is the real story, and it requires an inquiry done on a case-by-case basis. A constructive public discussion at the local level might be needed to sift through the findings. After all, we can be a part of the ‘social engineering’ of our society, too.
Let us never forget, ‘We The People’ have the power; our goal is to honor freedom, maintain decorum, to support free speech, and to defend individual rights when infringed upon. We know reciting the pledge is legally required in 47 States. What we must wonder (find out for ourselves) is, are they doing it and, at what age, can children make a rational choice to recite it or not? That’s the debate.
God Bless America.
John Krotec
Editor’s note : Recent graduates of Stonewall Jackson High School said that less than half of the students stood or even payed attention during the daily pledge.
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