NOCTILUCA November 2017

OPINIONS Appleton, Wisconsin November 2017 Volume XXIII

Issue II Page 4

All schools should say the Pledge of Allegiance

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line is not putting the two to- gether. Although the Supreme Court collectively decided that the line “One Nation Under God” is unconstitutional, as it violates separation of state and church, the line is not meant to combine church and state. It was added to make the people of the United States feel more patriotic in 1954 by President Eisenhower to help fight com- munism under one common thing almost all Americans agreed upon: that God was watching over them. That meant we as people would feel like a part of this country by saying the Pledge. This argument against the Pledge is almost redundant. America is a country based on Christianity. Even as we di- versify and change, our basic morals stay the same. To stop saying the Pledge because it is “unconstitutional” is wrong, because we as people are one and because we started under God. This is not to combine state and church, but to unify us under one banner. One Nation, Under God, Indivis-

ible, with Liberty and Justice for all. This was not made to divide us, but to unite us. If you truly feel this statement is wrong, consider the fact that only 3% to 6%, some even say as low as 0.4%, of all people in the United States do not believe in any higher power while 94% to 97% do. Wheth- er they be Christian, Muslim, Agnostic, or something else, they believe in a higher power. So think of it that way. Think of your “God,” you could even interpret God as science, but do not take away the Pledge from the greatest country on earth. Finally, to not say the Pledge is to forget the sacrifice of our people, to forget our fight against evil whether in the form of communism, fascism or genocide. America has al- ways been the sleeping giant, when our own are attacked we attack back. As a people we need to be unified under one flag so that we can be the giant. Yet, people are trying to take away something that every child in America does

or should learn, the Pledge. It unites us in such a simple manner, yet it is the broader picture of all people in a pub- lic classroom that shows them united under one thing, wheth- er Republican or Democratic, religious or not, all brought to- gether by saying the Pledge of Allegiance. So I believe we should all say the Pledge because we have been saying it for over a century; we fight it because it is “unconstitutional” yet it is not. Statistics are not rac- ist or misogynistic, it is a fact that the majority of Americans believe in a higher power. The Pledge unites us, so why get rid of one of the few things that unites us all as Americans. We always look for the differences and people say we should ig- nore them, yet here is some- thing that we all do and people say it is “bad.” They should be happy, since we all have this similarity. America needs to be united to be strong; so let us be united under the Pledge of Allegiance. stead of brainwashing kids into it by using a pledge they’re too young to understand the words to, try waiting until they’re old enough, then letting the actions of a country instill that sense of patriotism and pride. I prom- ise you that the feeling will be stronger than any feeling that comes from a pledge they’ll have to memorize. Does it really...do anything? Picture your morning Pledge during homeroom. It prob- ably looks like a bunch of high schoolers in a zombie- like state, droning words well- ingrained in their brain. But is anyone really thinking about what they’re saying? Or about what those words are imply- ing? Like the kindergarteners, I really don’t think most of us do. Obviously, as high schoolers, we all understand the words in the Pledge. But how many of us are actually saying them with meaning every morning? As far as I can tell, reciting the Pledge is really doing nothing for American students. So there are the reasons why I stopped. Maybe you agree with some of them, maybe you don’t. Whether more people stand up and say it with vigor every morning or more people choose to sit out after read- ing this, my hope is that more people think just a little bit more about what they’re say- ing when they recite the Pledge every morning.

By Hunter Marquardt I believe all schools in America should say the Pledge of Allegiance. One reason the Pledge should be said is the history behind it. It started in Oct. 12, 1892; when the Pledge of Allegiance was implemented into the public school systems. It had been written just two months prior in August 1892 by Francis Bellamy. This is an integral part of the school system; every person going to North including parents, and even grandparents, said it as long as they were in the public school system. This has been part of us for so long it was im- plemented before major things like the 19th Amendment. Another reason is that it is not “unconstitutional.” The line that comes under scrutiny is “One Nation Under God.” Some argue that because of the First Amendment giving us the freedom of religion, church and state must, and should al- ways be separated. However, this is wrong; yes state and church are separate, but this It’s the beginning of I.E. time at Appleton North. Students file into the classroom to find their seats. Some open up a Chrome- book or textbook and some chat with the people around them. Within a few minutes, everyone in the room stops what they’re doing. They all stand to turn toward the near- est flag to mindlessly drone the same 31 words that they’ve re- cited every morning since kin- dergarten. Well, almost everyone does. If you haven’t already guessed it, these 31 words are the Pledge of Allegiance. When I say almost everyone drones these words each day, I mean everyone with the exception of two types of people: those who pridefully stand toward our flag every morning and say each word with conviction and in- tention; and those who choose not to say the Pledge at all. The thought and meaning behind every word is applaudable, but this does not mean nonpartici- pants are any less respectable. I am one of those who chooses not to participate. Not reciting the Pledge isn’t out of laziness, disrespect, or even lack of patriotism. No, it is definitely not out of protest. I stopped saying it years ago, and I’d like to give you, the readers, insight on my reasons as to why. I don’t have to. It’s true, there is nothing re- quiring me or anyone to recite

5000 N. Ballard Road Appleton, WI 54913 Phone: (920) 832-4300

Mr. Ramponi, staff advisor, at: ramponiaaron@aasd.k12.wi.us.

Editorial Staff Senior Editor-In-Chief Jake Zajkowski Junior Editor-In-Chief Salma Abdel-Azim News Editor Maddie Clark Opinions Editor Carl Zuleger Features Editor Henry Ptacek Center Spread Editor Ahmad Abdel-Azim Culture Editor Lila Metko Sports Editor Kyle Hoffenbecker Photography Editor Olivia Molter Copy Editor Silvia Knighten Adithi Reddy Social Media Editor Amara Neitzke Graphics Editor Sonia Tallroth Online Editor Sarah Fleming Investigative Editor Mariya Todorova Advisor Mr. Ramponi Contributors

By Olivia Molter The problems with saying the Pledge of Allegiance

North students saying the pledge during homeroom. Photo by Olivia Molter.

the Pledge of Allegiance. Be- fore 1943, the Pledge of Al- legiance was compulsory in public schools. That year, the Supreme Court determined it unconstitutional for public schools to force any student to recite the Pledge. It’s my constitutional right to remain silent. Even if I didn’t have any other problems with the pledge itself, I would still have no obligation to say it. “One nation, under God” Now I know that the con- troversy of this line is nothing new. In fact, you’ve probably heard this argument before, maybe even more than once. But let’s be honest: it’s a prob- lematic line. America has no official religion, yet the Pledge implies that America is, in fact, a Christian nation. The line “Under God” wasn’t even part of the Pledge of Allegiance until 62 years after the Pledge was written. It was changed by President Eisenhower, who was inspired by a Presbyterian sermon to add it in the pledge. Even if you wanted to argue

that “it could be referring to any god,” the line would still be discriminatory toward Athe- ists, Agnostics, and polytheis- tic religions. At the end of the day, not everyone in this nation is living under a god and the Pledge glosses over that. Why so young? Like many of you, I started reciting the Pledge of Alle- giance in kindergarten. Now ask any kindergartener what the word “allegiance” means and chances are, not one will be able to tell you. We have these young students memoriz- ing powerful words that they don’t even understand–pledg- ing your allegiance to anything is no small task, let alone an entire country. Why do we have them do- ing this? Some have said it’s to “instill a sense of patriotism,” which is ridiculous. It seems that many people consider pa- triotism a requisite for being American. It’s not. Indoctrinat- ing littlekids intobeingpatriotic without reason to be is absurd. Want people to be patriotic? In-

Ahmad Abdel-Azim Salma Abdel-Azim Kari Brekke Jack Cain Maddie Clark Cairan Cole Jaden Eisch Sarah Fleming Michaela Frichner Logan Gaertner Mickayla George Kyle Hoffenbecker Sydney Levy Hunter Marquardt Lila Metko Olivia Molter Amara Neitzke

Henry Ptacek Adithi Reddy Tashia Ulman

Madeline Waters Avery Wageman Carl Zuleger