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However, it is mighty disrespectful, and ironic, of that student to refuse to pledge allegiance to the only country in the world that gives him the explicit right to freely voice his displeasure of that country.
The only country?
The only irony here is the idea that one should be so grateful for having certain rights that it makes it morally dubious to exercise them. Freedom of speech only exists to protect the unpopular viewpoint.
"I'm so grateful that I can criticize the state!"
"So - do you?"
"Oh no! That would make me an ingrate!"
The teacher should have had the student explain why he didn't stand and have the other students discuss the merits of that reasoning. Teachers should be able to turn any topic into a teachable moment.
Bad idea in Florida, where if the student brings up minority disenfranchisement as a reason, it might make the white kids in the class feel bad and get the teacher fired over ‘teaching critical race theory’.
The teacher should have had the student explain why he didn't stand and have the other students discuss the merits of that reasoning. Teachers should be able to turn any topic into a teachable moment.
Or the teacher could have pointed out that this was this student's absolute right under the First Amendment and left it at that. That, too, would have been a teachable moment. But I suspect this teacher was more about control than education.
The only irony here is the idea that one should be so grateful for having certain rights that it makes it morally dubious to exercise them. Freedom of speech only exists to protect the unpopular viewpoint.
"I'm so grateful that I can criticize the state!"
"So - do you?"
"Oh no! That would make me an ingrate!"
The student is just as free to voice his displeasure with this country, as I am to voice my displeasure over his displeasure.
Perhaps I should rephrase what I stated. The United States of American is the only country that truly guarantees the right to say as we feel, because it does not allow Congress to enact laws concerning speech. Most other countries provide the right to free speech, but there is a huge difference, which is why most other countries have "hate speech" laws, which means they do not have true 'freedom of speech'.
Think of the proverbial, "You cannot yell "fire" in a crowded theater". Yes, you can, however, you must be willing to deal with the consequences of saying that. And, you would not be charged and criminally tried for saying it, but for the consequences that follow saying that, which is for the people who were stampeded to death.
So........we have the right in this country to voice displeasure, but voicing displeasure is disrespectful? I wonder what our Founding Fathers would have thought of a stance like that.
Have you never had a situation where two ideals in which you believe come into conflict with each other? I believe in freedom of speech, which I believe includes the right not to speak. But I also believe that any citizen of this country that can't trouble themselves to show the least little bit of loyalty and respect to this country is an ingrate and ought to be ashamed of himself. So, which value do you follow in this case? Mouth the pledge out of respect even though you don't believe it? Or stay seated and fail to render honor to this country? I'm going to go with freedom of speech as the primary value in this case. But that doesn't mean I have to like or approve of the kid staying seated.
Have you never had a situation where two ideals in which you believe come into conflict with each other? I believe in freedom of speech, which I believe includes the right not to speak. But I also believe that any citizen of this country that can't trouble themselves to show the least little bit of loyalty and respect to this country is an ingrate and ought to be ashamed of himself. So, which value do you follow in this case? Mouth the pledge out of respect even though you don't believe it? Or stay seated and fail to render honor to this country? I'm going to go with freedom of speech as the primary value in this case. But that doesn't mean I have to like or approve of the kid staying seated.
Yeah, I don't think anyone is trying to lock the teach up in a reeducation camp. Like most jobs though, you can't really expect to keep it if you go around getting in tirades when you disagree with someone's politics while on the clock. Stick a sock in it while on the job.
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