I Pledge Allegiance--Marcia

In my classroom we still say the Pledge of Allegiance. Most of the time our kindergartners have never heard it before, don't have any idea what it's for, and barely realize they live in a "country". They live in their house, apartment, trailer, or motel, or worse. Country is way too big of a concept. Still we say the pledge and then sing a little flag song.

In the last few weeks a couple of our boys have been goofing off during The Pledge. They've been using Daffy Duck voices, saying it really fast, or using gibberish. I've held my tongue (unusual for me) but something in me rankled.

The feeling was more than just my school marmish, etiquette prone, manner-monster insistense on good behavior. I was insulted. Treat the flag with respect. I wanted a pencil thin skirt, a trip back in time, and a good ruler to smack them with.

Where did this come from ? I wondered about myself. Messages ran through my head: Don't you know hundreds of thousands of people have died for this thing? Do you know it's a crime to drop it. You can go to jail for burning it!

I did tons of flag ceremonies in Girl Scouts. Our hands shook, beads of sweat popped out on our pudgy brows lest we let it touch the ground or drop it while folding it into its tight puffy triangle.

When we invaded Iraq, I very seriously told my husband that I no longer wanted to be an American. Maybe it was time to leave this country. I felt this way for a long time. I know others felt the same.

When John Kerry ran for president and was derided for wearing the flag on his lapel, again I was insulted. Who said the flag belongs only to Republicans and "Christians"? I am a patriot. I want a thriving America. I don't think that being an activist makes me un-American. I stood in Vogel Park for the first gathering of Women In Black. I marched on Washington. I protested my own college graduation (!). I know, that was a little much (I might've been under the sway of a socialist). My family has fought for the freedoms of this country. Both sides of my family have a long and lauded military history. And I am getting very serious about my flag.

My children have been saying things like, "Patrick Bleeker's voting for McCain!, Tara's voting for McCain!, or We hate McCain." And then I have to explain--first off, Tara and Patrick can't vote, they're only in the fourth grade. Secondly, it's okay for them to vote for McCain, and it's okay for you to still be friends with them. You can be friends with people whose ideas and values are different from your own. That's the whole point of being American. We are free to choose. We are free to dissent.

And we do not hate McCain. I've had to say this a couple of times. I find myself saying this more than once yesterday. Both of these men want the best for our country. None of them wishes us ill. I've heard the scared talk about O'Bama--listened to Michael Savage and Rush. We are not going to lose our property and be taxed to death. Most of us have already lost all our property and been taxed to death. And then when we were left homeless and broke and audited, and suffering from stress, dementia, and high blood pressure, were unable to get the healthcare we needed to survive the struggle.

I tell my sons that McCain is a good man--do not get caught up in all of this and start hating.

Then they heard him speak. Not the crap he's been saying on the campaign trail, not the thumbs up, pained-grin jingoisms of the last year--they heard him speak as a patriot. He showed himself a leader who deserved to run for president. He spoke about continuing to strive to bring this country together and pledged his allegiance to his country and his new president.

We were moved. I had tears in my eyes.

Daniel said, "I feel sad for him."

"He's not sad, honey. He's tired and going on vacation."

When my kindergartners started acting up before the Pledge yesterday, poking each other, spinning around on the carpet, putting various body parts over their hearts . . . I turned and said, "Not today. Today is a very important day. It's election day, and we need to show respect for our flag and respect for our country."

Today is a new day. It is going to take all of us--for generations to come--to pull out of this. My country tis of thee . . . I pledge allegiance.

I'm going out to hang my flag.