2001-11-16 - 7:47 a.m.
I don�t wave the flag, I wave principles.�Robyn Blumner Define character. Now take your definition and figure a way to measure it in objective terms. That�s the difficult (if not impossible) assignment the middle school principal gave the Junior Honors Society committee. One of the first suggestions: someone who has character says the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. The most surprising thing was that the suggestion came from someone who is uncomfortable with the Pledge but now is saying it every day as part of the school day. I had the feeling I was witnessing someone rush to deflect criticism that had not even been offered. The scariest thing was that this person expected the committee to embrace the suggestion. We didn�t, at least not yet. Me, I would never suggest that rote recitation of anything bears any relationship to character. Character involves making promises or pledges that you have thought out carefully and not making promises or pledges that you are uncomfortable with, cannot keep, or do not believe in. If, after thinking about it, you wholeheartedly believe in the Pledge and all its words, then character is saying it. If, after thinking about it, any of the words in the Pledge trouble you, then character is not saying it. None of us shows good character all the time. There have been times I�ve said the Pledge, largely because I have been in a situation where, for one reason or another, I haven�t wanted to be singled out or have had to explain myself. I�m not proud of those moments. They show a lack of courage. They are not true to my convictions and I am not of better character for having them. While I deeply believe in and support this country, it is the country more than the flag I support. I cannot pledge allegiance to a symbol and the flag is a symbol. Symbols matter only because of what they stand for. They have no independent merit. Symbols can be easily perverted and they can be too easy to hide behind. At best, treating symbols as though they completely equate with what they stand for is confusing perception and reality. At worse, it can subordinate the real item to the symbol. If, for example, one truly believes in freedom of religion, then the right of those that oppose saying the Pledge on religious grounds not to say the Pledge must be more important than any possible slight to the flag (or those who love it) when they refuse to say it. If one truly believes in free speech (and coerced speech is not free), then the right not to say the Pledge must be more important than the community�s desire that it be said. For years, I didn�t confront the character issue behind the Pledge. It didn�t come up that often. But when pushing begins some people are pushed toward their principles and others away from them. The gentleman at the meeting, at least for a moment, was pushed away from his. His actions, however, seem to have pushed me toward mine. It�s time to wave my principles.
|
|
[ Previous 5 | Next 5 ] [ List Sites ] |