I Don’t Say the Pledge of Allegiance and Here’s Why

Since I was four years old in preschool, I stood up once a day in the morning, put my hand over my heart and recited the Pledge of Allegiance to an American flag hanging over the blackboard every single day. After it was over, we would all sit back down and carry on with our planned day. I never thought much of it, why should I at such a young age? It was engraved in my brain, it was a daily routine. Many people today don’t think much of it. They stand up in the morning, put their hand over their heart, and recite the words to the flag. But do they think about what they are saying? Do they analyze the words and the concept? I did. So, why don’t I say the Pledge?

1. “One Nation Under God” infringes upon first amendment rights. 7.1% of the American population are either atheist or agnostic.  “One Nation Under God” was added in 1954, and has been in the spotlight of controversy since, whether it is an infringement on the Establishment Clause of the first amendment. People who say you should recite the Pledge daily, or you’re “Anti-America,” do not care if it violates your religious freedoms.
2. “Justice For All” is simply untrue. We cannot stand up every morning and recite these words when minority groups still fight for equality every single day. LGBT rights are still up for debate in most states and many Americans still discriminate against minority groups. The Klu Klux Klan is still allowed to legally operate with a history of killing and harassing African Americans.
3. If the USA is free, why should we say the Pledge of Allegiance? Very few countries have a pledge or require children at such a young age to do it. North Korea is one of the very few countries that require children to pledge allegiance to their country.

In 1943, it was made unconstitutional by the Supreme Court to force children to say the Pledge of Allegiance. So, next time you sit down during the Pledge and someone calls you “Anti-American” and claims the Pledge is a “valued tradition,” remind them slavery was an American tradition as well. Not all traditions are righteous.