By CANDY STALLWORTH
Patriotism is under attack—again. This time, it’s the Pledge of Allegiance. No, it’s not an evil atheist who refuses to acknowledge that America is, in fact, one nation under God. Rather it’s the new San Francisco school board president, Stevon Cook. At the start of his first meeting, instead of reciting the pledge of allegiance, he chose to quote poet Maya Angelou with these words: “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” He has said that he plans to continue this practice in future meetings, reciting quotes that, in his opinion, speak to social justice. Citing, for example, writer Toni Morrison and gay rights activist Harvey Milk, Cook claimed, “I really think that these people are a great testament to our values and who we should aspire to be as Americans.”
Cook expounded upon his reasoning for nixing the pledge. He claimed that the Trump administration is “attacking our liberties” and has made the political climate divisive. Furthermore, he noted that people do not even know anything about the pledge and merely recite it as a formality. He stated, “If you ask 10 Americans who wrote it, or when it was implemented, or why it is how we start our meetings, a lot of us would be hard pressed (to answer).” While it is reality that most people do not know the history of the pledge of allegiance, or the national anthem or God Bless America or America the Beautiful or anything patriotic for that matter, lack of knowledge does not override most patriotic, rationally thinking people’s desire to stand, sing/say the words, and show respect for their country and flag. Cook has a pretty lame line of reasoning, especially coming from an education leader (or politician in disguise?).
In contrast to another San Francisco left-wing kook, Colin Kaepernick, who infamously takes a knee for the national anthem, Cook pointed out that he stands for the pledge, but does not recite it. Using logic that only a liberal would spew (or understand), he stated, “We should stand for (the pledge) because those ideals are important to me,” he said. “To speak them is another thing.”
In the land of Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein, it comes as no surprise that at least one board member voiced support for Cook’s plan to start meetings with quotes. Rachel Norton said, “It feels respectful and it feels thoughtful…Maya Angelou is an alumnus of (San Francisco’s) Washington High School, so what better way to start a new tradition.”
As libs jump on the anti-patriotic bandwagon and attempt to coast toward their utopia of social justice, those who want to show respect and love for their country need to stand strong, stick to their principles, and see through the left-wing nonsense that seems to hang around like San Francisco fog. And, like the fog, hopefully ideas like Cook’s will dissipate.
Candy Stallworth, an Empire State News staff writer, whipped her way through a doctoral education at the finest of American higher ed institutions, noting how unoriginal, inept, and annoying many of the schools’ professors were in their robotic attempts to maintain a politically correct narrative. BTW: she hates words like “narrative”, “optics”, and “gaffe.” Other than that, her turn-offs include non-masculine men, women who hate men, men who hate men, phonies, disloyal people, and overflowing garbage cans. She likes New England clam chowder better than Manhattan clam chowder, but prefers Manhattan to New England.
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