The Black Pledge of Allegance used instead of our Pledge.('Black Pledge' posted on school Web site)

Washington Times ^ | 1-22-02 | Ellen Sorokin

[vannrox]

The Washington Times www.washtimes.com 'Black Pledge' posted on school Web site Ellen Sorokin THE WASHINGTON TIMES Published 1/28/2002      A public school district in Oklahoma City has been accused of espousing black separatist doctrine because a copy of the "Black Pledge of Allegiance" is posted on its Web site.      The pledge — which refers to the colors of the flag that represents the Black Liberation Movement — appeared on the site last spring after students attending Millwood public schools found the pledge while studying black and cultural pride. "We pledge allegiance of the red, black and green Our flag, the symbol of our eternal struggle and to the land we must obtain," begins the pledge, which appears on the Web site www.millwood.k12.ok.us/Students.htm, just beneath the pledge of allegiance to the American flag. FR Poster Note: The Washington Times Editor of this article found it necessary to conserve space by omitting the last four lines. These lines convey the entire intent and bredth of the argument against the issue. The reason for this is unknown, but highly suspect. We pledge allegiance of the red, black and green Our flag, the symbol of our eternal struggle, and to the land we must obtain! ONE nation of BLACK people, with one God for us all, Totally united in the struggle for BLACK Love, BLACK Freedom, and BLACK determination .       "Millwood School Superintendent Gloria Griffin said in a telephone interview that she will not remove the pledge from the school district's Web site because it may send the wrong message to students.      "I don't think any African-American wants to be stripped and told, 'You shouldn't have any symbols,'" Mrs. Griffin said. "I don't think African-Americans should be asked to give up their symbols. Symbols are reminders of something that represent a custom and a part of history."      The pledge apparently originated in California, written by the founder of a violent 1960s radical group known as United Slaves.      Critics argue the Oklahoma school district's decision to add the pledge to its Web site creates division, rather than diversity, among its students. "It's misguided and counterproductive to education," said Russell Adams, a professor and chairman of the Afro-American Studies Department at Howard University in Washington. "It does not accelerate a positive learning experience for African-American kids and other kids around them." Others question the school district's motives for posting the pledge. Black students make up almost 99 percent of the school district's population, officials said. Millwood's three schools have 1,050 students (This pledge was posted and recited in all THREE Schools.)      "The question here is not about whether it's legal for the school district to post the pledge; it's more of a policy question at this point," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, a public-interest law firm focusing on religious liberty.      Students (currently) do not recite the black pledge in school, the superintendent said, but they do recite the American pledge. Mrs. Griffin said she was "disappointed" when she learned students in two classes were reciting the black pledge. "That was not my intention, to have students recite this pledge in school," she said. "That is no longer happening."      Mrs. Griffin says she agrees with critics who say featuring the black pledge on the Web site is counterproductive to education, but she stands by the decision nonetheless. "This is simply a part of an outgrowth from studies the students had done, but it's not part of the written curriculum."      The pledge generally is attributed to Maulana Ron Karenga, former leader of the Marxist group United Slaves. The group gained notoriety on Jan. 17, 1969, when some of Mr. Karenga's followers fatally shot two members of the rival Black Panther Party on the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles.      Mr. Karenga, who later served time in prison for the 1970 torture of two female followers, is acknowledged as creating the Kwanzaa holiday, of which the black pledge is part, in 1966.      Mrs. Griffin said she never thought the pledge advocated separatism or promoted racism. "When I read it, I focus on the words 'united in love, freedom and determination,'" Mrs. Griffin said. "If you look at history, there is a great need for African-Americans to love. It is very important that we appreciate freedom. And it is very, very important to have self-determination, and I don't mean that in a sense of separatism." Officials with the Oklahoma Board of Education declined to comment, saying they did not have authority over what the school district posted on its Web site.      Mrs. Griffin said she happened to forget that the pledge was on the site until the day before Martin Luther King's birthday, when the school district began receiving angry e-mail from across the country.      "Other than being the target of misinformation, I don't know what to make of this," Mrs. Griffin said. "Something has been taken out of context by someone. As a result, all of these accusations,every one of them borders on slander against all of us."      The red, black and green flag often is associated with black nationalism and pan-Africanism.      The colors were adopted in 1920 by black nationalist Marcus Garvey as the banner of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), according to www.melanet.com, an Afrocentric Web site based in the District.  Melanet.com says the tri-colored flag "has become the symbol of devotion for African people in America to establish an independent African nation on the North American continent."      As a compromise to her distractors, Mrs. Griffin said school administrators will add a paragraph next to the black pledge, explaining how the pledge appeared on the Web site. The also promised that she will conduct a survey of parents, teachers and students at Millwood to find out whether the community wants to keep the pledge on the site or remove it.

FR Poster Note: The following is the "retraction" or alteration of the data on the web site. Notice how it omits the damning orignation of the pledge and how it glosses over the negative impact. Note: Students are encouraged to research and reflect on their heritage. In the course of these studies students often find documents from the past that may be pertinent or relevant to times in which they live. Approximately three years ago during a cultural awareness instructional unit, Millwood Middle School students discussed the "Black Pledge of Allegiance," that had been found in their research or study. From their discussion, they recognized the struggles of their ancestors and the need for students to practice self love; to appreciate the freedoms that are an outcome of the Black struggle; and to demonstrate self-determination by performing well academically. They recommended to the middle school administration that the pledge be placed in the middle school planner as a reminder to all students of the struggles and the importance of love, freedom and self-determination. The author is unknown. It is unknown, also, what the author meant by nation. There are four (4) definitions of nation in the standard edition of the American Heritage Dictionary: FR Poster Note: It is unknown what the author meant by Nation? Say What?!?!?! Note: 1. A relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country. 2. The government of a sovereign state. 3. A people who share common customs, origins, history, and frequently language; a nationality. 4. a. A federation or tribe, especially one composed of Native Americans. b. The territory occupied by such a federation or tribe. The Black Pledge of Allegiance is NOT recited within the district. The Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag is recited in many of the classrooms and during all assemblies. FR Poster Note: Recited in Many... but not ALL. Note: The Pledge Of Allegiance I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. FR Poster Note: Note also... that while the Pledge of Allegance to America is one simple sentence. Written so that it can be read quickly and with out pause. The Black pledge of Allegance is written boldly with pause and occupies a substantial amount of space in the web site. It is, in other words, prominently displayed. Note: The Black Pledge of Allegiance (author & source unknown) FR Poster Note: The author is known. The author is simply not mentioned. Intentionally. Note: We pledge allegiance of the red, black and green Our flag, the symbol of our eternal struggle, and to the land we must obtain. One nation of Black people, with one God for us all, Totally united in the struggle for Black Love, Black Freedom, and Black determination.

[JMK]

"I don't think African-Americans should be asked to give up their symbols. Symbols are reminders of something that represent a custom and a part of history."

These are the same people who go ballistic at the sight of a Confederate flag though...

[martian_22]

One of the best eye-opening exercises for grade-schoolers is the white for black word substitution. In one day a classroom of all races understood the real meaning of racism.

[vannrox]

"...Other than being the target of misinformation, I don't know what to make of this,..."

Mrs. Griffin said.

"...Something has been taken out of context by someone. As a result, all of these accusations,every one of them borders on slander against all of us..."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The "fairness" and "justice" crowd congregate here: Institute for Policy Studies

who: The Progressive Challenge, coordinated from the Institute for Policy Studies, links
researchers, activists, and citizens organizations with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. --See if your congresscritter is one of the 57 members.

past events: The Progressive Challenge has organized a number of Economic Human Rights Bus Tours, bringing Members of Congress and journalists to rural Georgia and northern Appalachia to witness socio-economic disparity and talk with residents about their challenges. The project also organizes town meetings and Congressional hearings, and was active in advocating open Presidential debates.

history: The Progressive Challenge began as a 1997 summit on Capitol Hill between progressive Members of Congress and leaders of national advocacy organizations. From this meeting grew the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the network that we now know as the Progressive Challenge. Member groups established a common set of objectives in creating the Fairness Agenda for America.

[vannrox]

Perhaps a campain can be created that would FORCE this school system to change the word "BLACK" to "WHITE"... or then propose "MULTICOLOR".

[vannrox]

Barney Frank
(MEMBER, MASSACHUSETTS-04)

I don't think that he'll be too much help...

[stimulate]

While 911 stirred alot of patriotic ardor, it also ironically encouraged many subversive groups to interpret 911 as an opportunity to loudly communicate their anti-american bias. In New York City, there is a newly elected black councilman who wants to replace the portrait of George Washington in the City Hall with Malcom X! He calls Thomas Jeferson a Pedophile!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Frank is one of Progressive Caucus. They're working to undermine our system of government and pattern it after marxism.
Division and class and race hatred are the meat on the bones of their "fairness agenda." Know your enemies.

[flamefront]

Just for kicks, try looking up the "Cristian Pledge of Allegiance."

I just woke up to this at my kids school, but I see it too has been around for many Clinton-era years. Isn't the Lord's prayer good enough?

[Redleg Duke]

When liberals are caught, they always scream "taken out of context!"

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[willyone]

This bs only goes on because the vast majority of us are either too busy working or too intimidated to stand up to it. I would bet alot of blacks are also offended by it. Besides with the growth of the latino population in a few years blacks will be irrelevant as a voting bloc.

[Noumenon]

While 911 stirred alot of patriotic ardor, it also ironically encouraged many subversive groups to interpret 911 as an opportunity to loudly communicate their anti-american bias. In New York City, there is a newly elected black councilman who wants to replace the portrait of George Washington in the City Hall with Malcom X! He calls Thomas Jeferson a Pedophile!

Let the rats come out of the woodwork, let the serpents slither out from under their rocks into the light of day.

Let's get a real good look at them.

Let's remember who they are and what they represent.

[A CA Guy]

We pledge allegiance of the red, black and green
Our flag, the symbol of our eternal struggle,
and to the land we must obtain!
ONE nation of BLACK people,
with one God for us all,
Totally united in the struggle for BLACK Love,
BLACK Freedom, and BLACK determination.

Well, lets look at the reality around this bigotry.
They live in ONE NATION UNDER GOD! Whether they chose to participate or not.
Africa today still has tribal genocide, murder of whites and not one successful place governed by themselves that I can think of.
They don't want to be judged by the color of their skin, yet it is all they ever want to bring up. Black...Black...Black.

Their view of the world will keep them in the dark. They often in song refer to their women as bitches and the men call themselves the n-word. If it wasn't for government employment I would think 55% of the population would be unemployed. Their culture is an almost complete failure in this country when they get away from the main stream of America.
It has been complete failure around the rest of the world. They still sell their brethren into slavery today in modern times.

There would be more legitimacy in praising lint than their view of a Black anything!

[martian_22]

The thing is bad enough as it stands. No good will come of forcing anything. It speaks for itself.

[Redleg Duke]

The really sad thing is that by mindlessly doing what the DemocRATS have been telling them for years has made them irrelevent. Talk about self-inflicted slavery!

[spunkets]

I'm tempted to join the KKK just to tell a really long winded, epic Winnie the Pooh story. One that would bring a real panic to old Chuckie boy the control freak Schumer.

[Michael2001]

Get ready for civil war...

[ShorelineMike]

Bump for comments. Doesn't this anger anyone?

As an American who happens to be black, this makes me furious.

I was going to say white with fury, but I know someone (not one of the posters on this thread, of course) would deliberately mis-interpret it ...

[Plumrodimus]

These are the same people who go ballistic at the sight of a Confederate flag though...

Was I hallucinating or did one of the links mention the black Pledge of Allegiance (or was it Kwanza) was created by an offshoot of the Black Panthers?