Posted on 11/10/2006 12:25:37 AM PST by MichaelManureMoore
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Student leaders at a California college have touched off a furor by banning the Pledge of Allegiance at their meetings, saying they see no reason to publicly swear loyalty to God and the U.S. government.
The move by Orange Coast College student trustees, the latest clash over patriotism and religion in American schools, has infuriated some of their classmates -- prompting one young woman to loudly recite the pledge in front of the board on Wednesday night in defiance of the rule.
"America is the one thing I'm passionate about and I can't let them take that away from me," 18-year-old political science major Christine Zoldos told Reuters.
"The fact that they have enough power to ban one of the most valued traditions in America is just horrible," Zoldos said, adding she would attend every board meeting to salute the flag.
The move was lead by three recently elected student trustees, who ran for office wearing revolutionary-style berets and said they do not believe in publicly swearing an oath to the American flag and government at their school. One student trustee voted against the measure, which does not apply to other student groups or campus meetings.
The ban follows a 2002 ruling by a federal appeals court in San Francisco that said forcing school children to recite the pledge was unconstitutional because of the phrase "under God." The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the ruling on procedural grounds but left the door open for another challenge.
"That ('under God') part is sort of offensive to me," student trustee Jason Bell, who proposed the ban, told Reuters. "I am an atheist and a socialist, and if you know your history, you know that 'under God' was inserted during the McCarthy era and was directly designed to destroy my ideology."
Bell said the ban largely came about because the trustees didn't want to publicly vow loyalty to the American government before their meetings. "Loyalty ought to be something the government earns through performance, not through reciting a pledge," he said.
Martha Parham, a spokeswoman for the Coast Community College District, said her office had no standing on the student board and took no position on the flag salute ban.
"If their personal belief is that they don't want to say the Pledge of Allegiance, the district certainly isn't going to dictate what they do," she said.
More than 28,000 students attend the community college, located in conservative Orange County, California, south of Los Angeles.
""That ('under God') part is sort of offensive to me," student trustee Jason Bell, who proposed the ban, told Reuters. "I am an atheist and a socialist, and if you know your history, you know that 'under God' was inserted during the McCarthy era and was directly designed to destroy my ideology.""
ping
Fine...cut all federal funding to that school and any school in agreement. Let them sit in classes with no AC running and see how they feel.
But then there would be children left behind.
Kumbaya.
Peace out.
New Tone.
I couldn't agree more. Also, this is just a random comment, why is it we must all change for atheists? They say "Under God" offends them...I wonder how many they offend in turn? Of course, that doesn't matter. Somehow, society has been duked into believing - by the ACLU and other liberals - that the desires of 1% are more important than the other 99%. They can hate God and America all they want, but I refuse to change for people who don't give a damn about this country, or its people.
Here is who will be running things when we get old...
Bring back the draft. Get them in the Army. Make them fight or die for their country. No deferments. No exceptions. I know not many here will agree with me, but every one of us (males) has an absolute duty and obligation to serve his country. Not just pledge his allegiance to it, but actually serve it. If you don't have that sense of duty, the country is lost. imho
Amen!!
And a Communist. And a glaring example of why we must learn to communicate our values to the people.
The young are being indoctrinated on college campuses everywhere
to facilitate "Revolution" against us.
Why is a former president of the USA helping Socialists and Communists to get elected?
WAKE UP AMERICA!
"Cut all federal funding to that school..."
I agree.
Thank you for the links Pajamajan.
If I was president on 9/11, I would have instituted the Draft 9/12. I agree it's the only way to save our nation.
Eliminate student loans. Make the little peckerwads work for their diplomas.
Excellent post!
What did you think of the first one? Spooky huh? If you have any questions like- "Why do democrats/liberals......(fill in the blank), the answers can be found on that list.
I can't believe that kids are being taught and encouraged to have contempt for their country. That's not how you preserve a country, that's how you destroy it.
Not really spooky...I've been watching this stuff for years.
Sorry situation (gross understatement).
KILL THEM ALL!
No, wait. This isn't China/Iran/N-Korea/Russia/Africa/BAH!.
Oh well, Nevermind..
Don't worry. I'm sure they will have plans to euthanize us. And if they surrender the country to the Islamists or set up their communist utopia, reaching old age won't even be an issue to begin with.
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