Pledge of Allegiance' Made Me an Outsider

In 1892, Francis Bellamy wrote the 'Pledge of Allegiance' essay. On September 8th, 1892, Francis Bellamy published the ‘Pledge’ in a Youth’s Campaign Magazine. In 2011, I started questioning the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’. On February 8th, 2018, I was called ‘unworthy’ for acting upon my questioning towards the ‘Pledge’. This was the first thing that has triggered me. After that situation I've dived deeper into the concept of ‘Pledge’ and whether it must be a part of each person. 

Me not saluting nor reciting to the flag placed a label upon me. No longer did it matter that I was a student who had received good grades, no longer did it matter that I was a student who had great citizenship on and off of campus, no longer did it matter that I was a student who never set foot in the Dean’s or Principal’s office for a consequence of any bad doings. None of that mattered anymore. I wasn’t seen as an outstanding student. I was seen as a disrespectful defiant that ‘did not deserve any of the awards that I received- scratch that gained that day.’

All through my educational career the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ was something that stood odd and out of place. I never fully understood the reasoning for us saluting and reciting to the flag. It wasn’t until the fifth grade that the gears in my head began to turn. I had a friend named Alexis, and as the class was reciting and saluting, she was sitting. This was a shocker for everyone because it was out of the norm. Seeing her sitting there, calmly, I looked back and forth between her and the red, white, and blue fabric that hanged from the wall with wide eyes. My curiosity burning a hole in the middle of my head, I whispered to her “Why aren’t you standing?” That one question started a series of unanswered questions. With my burning curiosity and lack of knowledge I went searching for answers. Through so much research and knowledge of what happens in the world today, I myself gained a belief and stopped standing for the pledge.

Through all the years of my educational career, never was I labeled disrespectful or unworthy. Never was I pulled to the side and told to stand. Never was I limited opportunities because of my actions and questioning towards the ‘Pledge’. Never was my Freedom of Speech stripped from me and never was I told to be silent. Until February 8th, 2018. On that day, I was told that I did not deserve the awards that I gained because I did not recite nor salute to the ‘Pledge’. Because of that day, opportunities that came easy became difficult. Because of that day, teachers and staff judge me instead of listened to me. Because of that day, I had to scream in order for my voice to be heard. I came in contact with so many walls and so many corners that I was overlooked. But, because of those walls and corners, because of all my screaming I was able to break through and my voice only became stronger. I was able to strengthen my purpose and belief and be heard. I was able to transform the label of a “disrespectful defiant” that was set upon me to a headstrong, independent, intelligent, and purposeful young lady who was able to silence anyone and everyone with just my voice and intelligence. How’s that for a “disrespectful defiant”.