Posted on 03/10/2005 5:17:36 AM PST by Crackingham
A ninth-grader is protesting his school's decision to broadcast the Pledge of Allegiance in foreign languages as part of National Foreign Language Week. Patrick Linton said he and other students at Old Mill High School sat down rather than stand Wednesday when the Pledge was read over the school's public address system in Russian. Linton's teacher told him if he had a problem he should leave the room.
He did, and did not plan to return this week.
"This is America, and we got soldiers at war," the 15-year-old said. "When you're saying the Pledge in a different language which nobody understands, that's not OK."
Charles Linton, Patrick's father, said the use of other languages is disrespectful to the country. "It's like wearing a cross upside down in a church," he said.
The pledge was to be read in Spanish, French, Latin, Russian and German. School officials said the activity will continue, with the English version of the Pledge being read first for the rest of the week.
Sounds like he has more sense than the principal.
I agree with him and his father. Good for him. At 15 to do something like this tells me he's one of the good kids. Good future leader.
We also have soldiers at war. Sounds like they need to concentrate on English rather than Latin and Russian.
Its nice to know there are kids like this in a very Blue state.
I noticed that too. I sincerely believe the word "got" should be forcibly removed from the English language.
KUDOs to him for speaking out. It is about time American citizens put a stop to liberals changing the face of America.
Schools should be teaching English and American History. Teachers should not be inserting their opinion into the curriculum. And we Americans should not be forced to learn another language just so we can understand someone from another country who has chosen to live in America.
Schools are failing their students by not teaching them English. Ask any foreign citizen who has chosen to become an American citizen. They'll tell you that they want their children to learn English. These people need to put pressure on the schools and teachers to do it right.
I don't think so. We have scores of people that come to this country and never learn English and never assimilate. It should not be encouraged, especially not with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Of course, there are the AINO (Americans in Name Only) and the unregistered and illegal resident aliens, for whom these words mean nothing, and less than nothing - they regard the Pledge to be an onerous obligation which they have no intention of assuming.
After we take over the world, we will be hearing the Pledge in many more languages. (Insert evil, maniacal laugh here.)
Screw that... just another punk 15yr old kid that wants to be 'cool' or get attention.
He's heard about the teacher in close in the area and the 'screaming' and pulling his chair out last week... its just coppycat.
This is NOT 'honorable', he is NOT doing this becuase saying the pledge in other languages offends him (which is absurd). This is just another version of "I don't want to stand" or "I don't have to say 'under god!'")
I think someone should SLAP this kid AND HIS DAD upside the head.
How would the French react to students singing "La Marseillaise" in Arabic, or (shudder) English?
Using a foreign language to salute the AMERICAN flag is ridiculous, or worse - insulting.
I could see a teacher in Spanish class use the Pledge as a translation exercise. Ditto Russian class or whatever, but not over the school loudspeaker. That connotes endorsement.
Jeezuz... you people MUST be DU trolls.
Saying the pledge in forign languges during 'forign language week' in international studies in School is a LEARNING EXORSIZE. Not some blasphemous conspiracy to 'repeat the pledge in french' just because its sacrareligious.
Get over yourselves.
The kid is just a coppycat wanna'be whos noticed all the attention the other kids were getting with their 'anti-american' pledge shanangans these past few weeks down here in MD.
I think he just wanted out of class. This was not an everyday thing. It was done to encourage the students to study foreign languages. The teaching of foreign languages is a legitimate high school activity. Learning a foreign language improves your SAT scores and your chances in the job market. This was hardly an anti-American activity. Very much to the contrary! This kind of behavior should not be condoned whether it comes from the left or the right. If he was mine, he would be punished, made to apologise, and sent back to class.
As long as it's our Pledge, and not passages from Mein Kampf or the Communist Youth oath, and it stops at the end of the week, I don't see what the big deal is. It's kind of an epitome of free speech.
In fact, I'm thinking that other nations would object. Imagine a Frenchman hearing the American pledge in his native language. Blasphemy! All of France would probably go on strike.
Let me end with the statement that I'm NOT in favor of bi-lingual education; but adding languages other than English to one's education is a good thing. We need Americans who know other languages - Dari, North Korean and Farsi for instance. Temporarily, at least.
In the US Army we were taught that We were American soldiers,serving our Country on a military base owned by the U.S.A. English is thespoken language of the United States. When my ancestors came here legally form Irland and
Germany they were told to set aside all that they left behind-because English was our Language ,And within our borders we would act and talk as Americans.
Why don't they read the lunch menu in foreign a foreign language? The Pleadge should not be used as a tool to promote 'diversity'.
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