“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.” A pledge that used to be common to all children in the US, but what does it actually mean to “pledge your allegiance” in the United States?
The actual definition is to “make a formal, public promise of loyalty and devotion to the United States of America, its flag, and the republic’s principles of liberty and justice.” However, for many Malden High students, this is restrictive in terms of conformity to a flag, creating a new tradition different from what schools have been accustomed to.
“The pledge doesn’t mean much anymore,” senior Johnny Mei stated, and the reality is, it’s true. What was once so prominent in our early childhood is now no longer important for the majority of students.
The pledge was a staple in our morning announcements; it was our first introduction to “American pride.” “Back then, I used to treat it like it was important, but nowadays, it seems like that importance is gone,” Mei added.
This “importance” is not actually fading; it’s the mind leaping into a new sense of independence and beliefs. As we grow, our priorities and ideas grow as well. What we were once taught to proclaim finally starts to hold weight as we learn what the words actually mean. With this, our opinions change.
As we get older, we learn that we are no longer bound by others’ ideas and are finally able to produce ideas of our own. “As I’ve grown up and become my own person, my beliefs have changed along with me,” senior Fiona Youmell explained.
Ideas are what make each of us unique; it’s our ability to look at the world through a new lens that ultimately fuels a healthy society where everyone respects each other’s opinions. “I’ve begun to consider my own feelings and think more freely, especially with access to so many new viewpoints online and around me in my community,” Youmell proclaimed.
However, it’s not just a change in opinions and growing up, humans are also products of their environment and what occurs in society strongly reflects one’s views. With everything going on in America, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed in an ocean of deception.
“With the recent ICE deportations and the unjust killings highlighted in the Black Lives Matter movement, I think that the idea of ‘American Pride’ has changed; it’s difficult to have pride in a country so unjust,” Youmell highlighted.
This is a big reason why so many Americans view the pledge as a way of conforming to injustice; it’s their personal belief, shaped by their independence and by what they see around them.
For some, it’s not a matter of conforming to anything; some see it as Junior Cam’ron Crawford sees it, as “appreciation to honor veterans and people in the military”. Either way you lean, it is a unique perspective that positively fuels America, as your ideas matter.
Different ideas should not equal social divisions. Youmell noted that “no one in my class stands for the pledge, and at the beginning of the year, students seemed unsure whether they should stand.”
There’s an underlying sense of embarrassment people feel when everyone is not doing something together, so it often silences the person who is too afraid to be the odd one out. This, unfortunately, causes a daunting division that the pledge should not create.
Instead, we should be there for one another and encourage people to either sit or stand during the pledge, showcasing that beyond our beliefs, we respect each other, ultimately fostering a community of diversity and opinions.
Although the pledge may never return, one thing that will forever last is our voices. More important than anything is the people’s ability to proclaim what they believe, so no matter what traditions come and go, allegiance to your voice should always be foremost.
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