Patriotism and Freedom of Speech

I am a strong proponent of patriotism, but I also strongly support freedom of speech. When persons angrily advocate for the expulsion from the country of individuals who refuse to salute the United States flag or who refuse to stand at attention for the pledge of allegiance, they are overreacting.

What about Native American Indians? After all their ancestors went through, I think they can be excused from respecting the flag. How would their feelings be much different from the animosity toward the Confederate flag that many opponents of slavery show?

Also, Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to salute the flag. I am not a Jehovah’s Witness, but I know several of them who are devout, hard-working persons who seek to obey God. I respect their right to stand for their principles. And that includes not saluting the U.S. flag or any other flag.

In Nazi Germany when many Christians were supporting Hitler, serving in his military, and saluting the government’s flag, the Jehovah’s Witnesses courageously passed out literature opposing unfair policies. And these Jehovah’s Witnesses refused to salute the Nazi flag, considering doing so idol worship.

Personally, I respect the United States flag. I consider it a symbol of many fabulous achievements that this nation has attained through the grace and guidance of the highest righteous authority, which I call God.

But even I think it is unnecessary to pledge allegiance to the flag itself, which is a piece of cloth. Instead, let’s pledge allegiance to the high ideals that the flag at its best symbolizes.

I took this photo of a flag near the courthouses in Lexington, Kentucky on October 23, 2016.

Last year I wrote a Blogger post about creating a new pledge of allegiance. I still think that’s a great idea.

Here is a reprint of my suggested pledge: "I pledge allegiance to seek to always do right, to seek to always be obedient to the highest righteous authority, to seek to always be truthful in a loving way, to seek appropriate liberty and justice for all, and to help make myself, my family, my friends, my neighborhood, my country, and my world better by improving my own behavior."

Folks, blind allegiance to a flag is not true patriotism. Patriotism means standing up for our country when it is right and seeking to change it for the better when it is wrong. And if freedom of speech is to be a main principle of our nation, we need to allow persons the freedom not to salute our flag, the freedom not to say the pledge of allegiance, and the freedom not to stand at attention for the pledge.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I support children (and adults) learning respect. But, if children learn basic human values from parents, teachers, community leaders, religious leaders, etc., then proper respect for authority will come.

NOTE: This piece was last revised on June 5, 2017.