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	<title>Comments on: THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  Still Lacking “Equality”</title>
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	<description>Choose Love Over Hate</description>
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		<title>By: joe llaben</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-4645</link>
		<dc:creator>joe llaben</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 05:28:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-4645</guid>
		<description>I&#039;d rather be at the beach.

I wish we could clone this man and put him in every school in our country and not only that, I wish he would run for President!!!!! 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A CALIFORNIA PRINCIPAL&#039;S OPENING MESSAGE TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN 2010 

From:  Dennis Prager, Principal - Redding, California 

To:     The students and faculty of our high school 

Date:   The first day of classes in 2010   

I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.           

I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our  school. 
        
I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers, against your parents, and against our country.      

Therefore :

First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity.  I  c ould not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow, or white.  I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian, or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships.  The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school  
will care about is American. 

This is an American public school, and  A merican public schools were created to make better Americans.

If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial, or religious identity through your school, you will   have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity- r ace-and non-American-nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America , one of its three central values -- E Pluribus Unum -- &quot;from many, one.&quot; 

And this school will be guided by America&#039;s values.  That includes all after-school clubs.  I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation, or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.  Your clubs will be based on interests and passions  not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self  while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So, we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, math, carpentry, and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic or racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.

Second, I am not interested in whether or not English is your native language.  My only interest in terms of language is t hat you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English  language has united America &#039;s citizens for more than 200 years, and it  will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave  this school without excellent  English-language skills, I will have been remiss in my duty to ensure that you are prepared to compete successfully in the American job market. 

We will learn other languages here -- it is  deplorable that most Americans only speak English . B ut if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.   

Third , because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this  school will reflect learning&#039;s elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in  our society dress more formally for a meal at a nice restaurant than they do for church or school. Those people have their priorities backwards. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.            
       
F ourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school&#039;s property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If  you can&#039;t speak without using the &quot;F-word,&quot; you can&#039;t speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission plus epithets such as the &quot;N-word,&quot; even when used by one black student  to address another, or &quot;bitch,&quot; even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you  will be among the few of your age to distinguish instinctively between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.          

Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until the state of California decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it.   One immediate consequence of this is that there will be only one class valedictorian, not eight.      

Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom-wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue. 

There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual, or not Christian.  We will have failed, if any one of you graduates from this school and does not consider himself or herself inordinately lucky -- to be alive and to be an American.

Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America .  As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;d rather be at the beach.</p>
<p>I wish we could clone this man and put him in every school in our country and not only that, I wish he would run for President!!!!!<br />
&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<br />
A CALIFORNIA PRINCIPAL&#8217;S OPENING MESSAGE TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN 2010 </p>
<p>From:  Dennis Prager, Principal &#8211; Redding, California </p>
<p>To:     The students and faculty of our high school </p>
<p>Date:   The first day of classes in 2010   </p>
<p>I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.           </p>
<p>I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our  school. </p>
<p>I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers, against your parents, and against our country.      </p>
<p>Therefore :</p>
<p>First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity.  I  c ould not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow, or white.  I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian, or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships.  The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity &#8212; your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school<br />
will care about is American. </p>
<p>This is an American public school, and  A merican public schools were created to make better Americans.</p>
<p>If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial, or religious identity through your school, you will   have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity- r ace-and non-American-nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America , one of its three central values &#8212; E Pluribus Unum &#8212; &#8220;from many, one.&#8221; </p>
<p>And this school will be guided by America&#8217;s values.  That includes all after-school clubs.  I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation, or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.  Your clubs will be based on interests and passions  not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism &#8212; an unhealthy preoccupation with the self  while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So, we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, math, carpentry, and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic or racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.</p>
<p>Second, I am not interested in whether or not English is your native language.  My only interest in terms of language is t hat you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English  language has united America &#8216;s citizens for more than 200 years, and it  will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave  this school without excellent  English-language skills, I will have been remiss in my duty to ensure that you are prepared to compete successfully in the American job market. </p>
<p>We will learn other languages here &#8212; it is  deplorable that most Americans only speak English . B ut if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.   </p>
<p>Third , because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this  school will reflect learning&#8217;s elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in  our society dress more formally for a meal at a nice restaurant than they do for church or school. Those people have their priorities backwards. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.            </p>
<p>F ourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school&#8217;s property &#8212; whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If  you can&#8217;t speak without using the &#8220;F-word,&#8221; you can&#8217;t speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission plus epithets such as the &#8220;N-word,&#8221; even when used by one black student  to address another, or &#8220;bitch,&#8221; even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you  will be among the few of your age to distinguish instinctively between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.          </p>
<p>Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way &#8212; the way people attained it until the state of California decided otherwise a generation ago &#8212; by earning it.   One immediate consequence of this is that there will be only one class valedictorian, not eight.      </p>
<p>Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom-wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue. </p>
<p>There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual, or not Christian.  We will have failed, if any one of you graduates from this school and does not consider himself or herself inordinately lucky &#8212; to be alive and to be an American.</p>
<p>Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America .  As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.</p>
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		<title>By: Martin Kent</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-3014</link>
		<dc:creator>Martin Kent</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:29:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-3014</guid>
		<description>Thanks for your insightful and heartfelt comment, Ken.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thanks for your insightful and heartfelt comment, Ken.</p>
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		<title>By: ken brahmer</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-2948</link>
		<dc:creator>ken brahmer</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jul 2011 01:04:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-2948</guid>
		<description>Martin,
Over a year ago I visited your website and became aware of your work. This began as a result of the film Schindler&#039;s List (Ark) and research I made.
Today I visited again and was struck by the concern over the word &quot;equality&quot; absent from the Pledge of Allegiance.  I am reminded of several churches, when I was a young boy in the 50&#039;s, that often sang &quot;Jesus loves the little children all the children of the world...red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. &quot;  In lower Alabama few people in that town ever truly considered the meaning, sang boldly and were oblivious to the irony...there were still KKK signs at the outskirts of town. I&#039;m not sure adding the word will resolve much in the depth of this issue. Your website with video clip may offer more. Thank you!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Martin,<br />
Over a year ago I visited your website and became aware of your work. This began as a result of the film Schindler&#8217;s List (Ark) and research I made.<br />
Today I visited again and was struck by the concern over the word &#8220;equality&#8221; absent from the Pledge of Allegiance.  I am reminded of several churches, when I was a young boy in the 50&#8242;s, that often sang &#8220;Jesus loves the little children all the children of the world&#8230;red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. &#8221;  In lower Alabama few people in that town ever truly considered the meaning, sang boldly and were oblivious to the irony&#8230;there were still KKK signs at the outskirts of town. I&#8217;m not sure adding the word will resolve much in the depth of this issue. Your website with video clip may offer more. Thank you!</p>
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		<title>By: Changing the Pledge, Not So Mainstream &#171; Sara for America</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-2931</link>
		<dc:creator>Changing the Pledge, Not So Mainstream &#171; Sara for America</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2011 13:06:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-2931</guid>
		<description>[...] Typically this is done by omitting the words &#8220;under God&#8221; or adding the word &#8220;equality&#8221; where they deem it appropriate.  Usually this really incenses folks, because you just [...]</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[...] Typically this is done by omitting the words &#8220;under God&#8221; or adding the word &#8220;equality&#8221; where they deem it appropriate.  Usually this really incenses folks, because you just [...]</p>
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		<title>By: grants for women</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-227</link>
		<dc:creator>grants for women</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 May 2010 03:32:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-227</guid>
		<description>Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!</p>
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		<title>By: Wordpress Themes</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-211</link>
		<dc:creator>Wordpress Themes</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2010 15:07:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-211</guid>
		<description>Amiable post and this mail helped me a lot in my college assignment. Thank you for your information.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Amiable post and this mail helped me a lot in my college assignment. Thank you for your information.</p>
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		<title>By: Nicole Flemister</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-112</link>
		<dc:creator>Nicole Flemister</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:09:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-112</guid>
		<description>Equality is a trait we should all teach our children. Being equal to your fellow man could change the future for all.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Equality is a trait we should all teach our children. Being equal to your fellow man could change the future for all.</p>
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		<title>By: LJR</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-100</link>
		<dc:creator>LJR</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:40:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-100</guid>
		<description>This is a very interesting article about the origins of the Pledge of Allegiance--I recommend it to everyone! (and shared it on FaceBook)

I was astonished that I spent my life reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and never realized that the word &quot;equality&quot; was not listed along with &quot;liberty and justice for all&quot;. 

Perhaps we were not ready for it &#039;way back when&#039;--but I think we have come far enough in our understanding and growth as a nation to be ready to add that extra word to the pledge now!

Thank you for this information.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is a very interesting article about the origins of the Pledge of Allegiance&#8211;I recommend it to everyone! (and shared it on FaceBook)</p>
<p>I was astonished that I spent my life reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and never realized that the word &#8220;equality&#8221; was not listed along with &#8220;liberty and justice for all&#8221;. </p>
<p>Perhaps we were not ready for it &#8216;way back when&#8217;&#8211;but I think we have come far enough in our understanding and growth as a nation to be ready to add that extra word to the pledge now!</p>
<p>Thank you for this information.</p>
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		<title>By: Bonnie</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-86</link>
		<dc:creator>Bonnie</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:56:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-86</guid>
		<description>Yes, I&#039;m all for adding the word &quot;equality&quot; to the pledge.  It makes me feel good just to hear the word, especially in these difficult, violent times.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Yes, I&#8217;m all for adding the word &#8220;equality&#8221; to the pledge.  It makes me feel good just to hear the word, especially in these difficult, violent times.</p>
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		<title>By: Chuck Greenlee</title>
		<link>http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/2010/02/the-pledge-of-allegiance-still-lacking-%e2%80%9cequality%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-84</link>
		<dc:creator>Chuck Greenlee</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:23:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://yearslaterwewouldremember.com/?p=392#comment-84</guid>
		<description>I can&#039;t agree more.  The explicit inclusion of &#039;equality&#039; is long past due.
One would think concept of equality to be understood as inherent to both the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.  Sadly, that is not the case.
Perhaps by including the word in written form and constant repetition, future generations will actively embrace equality and not leave it an obscure concept.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I can&#8217;t agree more.  The explicit inclusion of &#8216;equality&#8217; is long past due.<br />
One would think concept of equality to be understood as inherent to both the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.  Sadly, that is not the case.<br />
Perhaps by including the word in written form and constant repetition, future generations will actively embrace equality and not leave it an obscure concept.</p>
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