Comments on: Little Black Book: Privilege

By: J. Clarence

J. Clarence — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:22:04 +0000

Children should not be forced to say the pledge, especially at a young age because have such a little understanding of its meaning. At the very least it is them reciting empty words, but a worst it is indoctrination. I think it is important that they know why we have one and why some people choose to recite it, and of course that they always have the choice to what they want to do.

The pledge, like the National Anthem, and the flag, are all really rituals and practices all cultures construct to assist in forming a common identity.

It is also a good way to spot the Ruskies. I kid.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:56:59 +0000

I stopped saying the pledge a long time ago, around the time of the first gulf war. I would have appreciated a teacher who informed my of my right no to participate in it.

So many issues with the pledge. First, allegiance to a swath of fabric? Second, “one nation?”. Right. “Under God?”. What god? Liberty and justice for all? Define “all.”

Privelege is tricky, since it’s hard to tell when you have it. Sounds like Corey did a good job of countering his sub’s blatant exercise of it.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:33:16 +0000

I see that folks are criticizing Corey for voicing his opinion to his students, but no one has said how he should have gone about countering the influence of the visiting teacher. Do any of you have some constructive criticism? I’d like to hear it.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:58:18 +0000

Yeah, but StreetPunk is right. You tainted your students’ perspective with your own – and you actually used your position of privilege to do so. Ironic.

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:50:06 +0000

“Patriotism is, fundamentally, a conviction that a particular country is the best in the world because you were born in it.” -George Bernard Shaw.

There’s nothing wrong with not saying the pledge, especially given Corey’s position that it is his choice not to pledge allegiance to a country that preaches equality, liberty, and justice for all and so often fails in that effort. In my school, we were always informed that it was a choice, and most students decided to say it anyways as a matter of routine.

Freedom includes the right to be free of blind patriotism and nationalism.

By: msh

msh — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:13:34 +0000

so because the united states doesn’t fully live up to its cread of “liberty and justice for all,” we ought to teach kids not to pledge allegiance to it?

By: StreetPunk

StreetPunk — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:48:33 +0000

OH MY GOD…not another column on “privilege.”

Do you really think you gave your students the choice of saying the pledge if not one of them said it the next day? That is statistically unlikely. Rather, by expressing your personal opinion of the pledge – as someone in a privileged position of authority – appeared to create a climate of intimidation that didn’t foster free choice but rather prevented it. The more ethical path would to have not injected your privileged opinion, but instead to have created an environment where all expressions were treated with the same value.