My wife told me yesterday that her school, K-4,...

[TN al]

...is having a flagpole ceremony to commemorate Patriot's Day. She told me that teachers and students would be giving speeches on how to be a patriot. Some of the teachers are pretty right wing. She said the whole thing disgusted her and she did not want to participate. I told her she should and that I would write her speech for her. She thanked me, but I knew she had no intention of reading it in front of anybody. I wrote one for her anyway. It took me about 20 minutes and it is geared to K-4th grades. Even at that I know it is above them in most parts but remember that when it gets simplistic. I am writing it here because it does have some good quotes that some of you may be able to use in your travels.

On this Patriot's Day, in the presence of all of you gathered here, I am struck without thought by your companionship, your friendship, and your eagerness to be patriotic. To tell you what patriotism is, is beyond my simple abilities of description. Still I can feel it well up within me as I look out upon you and imagine the great things that each of you will accomplish within your lifetimes. You have heard excellent descriptions here today. Those words echoing in your ears and your love of country will aid you in your future endeavors to complete the monumental tasks I mentioned earlier. I do not seek to add my own words to theirs but look back into the pages of history to add to their words those of the great thinkers of our country.

Carl Shurz once said: "The peace and welfare of this and coming generations of Americans will be secure only as we cling to the watchword of true patriotism: 'our country -- when right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right.'"

When in this world you see your country doing wrong, do what you can to make it right.

Edith Cavell once said: "I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone."

Do not hate someone simply because their idea of what a patriot is differs from your own.

Edward R. Murrow said: "We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it."

It is not unpatriotic to disagree with your leaders.

Adlai Stevenson said: "What do we mean by patriotism in the context of our times? I venture to suggest that what we mean is a sense of national responsibility ...a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."

Being patriotic is a lifetime endeavor and not something that comes and goes as events dictate.

Henry Steele Commager said that: "Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive."

Don't think that something is patriotic just because someone else says it is.

Theodore Roosevelt agreed with him when he said: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Make your leaders accountable for what they tell you.

James Baldwin said: "I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."

Finding fault with your country is not unpatriotic.

And finally Mark Twain said that: "Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let me label you as they may."

You will decide for yourself what is patriotic and what isn't.

Each of you will go out and America will become what you and your contemporaries decide it will be when you make these decisions on patriotism. American ideals are not something that is unchangeable. They change with each generation deciding what patriotism means to them. They take what previous generations have given them and mold them to their own ideas of patriotism. Sometimes Americans have not chosen wisely in their ideals of patriotism. I urge each of you to choose wisely in deciding what values make America and what values to discard.

Again remember the target audience. I know I missed it but in many ways I was targeting the right wing clods my wife works with. She won't be reading this but I give permission to anyone with a similar ceremony to use this all or in any part. Most of it is other people's words anyway. I would just like this to be heard.

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Talk about April 19, which is actually Patriots' Day.

9/11 is, let's be truthful, Being in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time While Living Under an Incompetent Administration Day.

Those poor people died awfully, not nobly.

And a third of them were foreigners.

[goddess40]

2. Too bad your wife doesn't have the nerve

She could do a lot of good by countering the other side. To standby and say nothing just reinforces the other sides idea. By staying quiet she sends a message of approval, a true disservice to the students and fellow staff members.
Wonderful, and well written.

[demnan]

3. Thanks, that is a good speech

and I hope she does use it.

[cardlaw]

4. Great speech. But

are most of those K-4 kids going to know what half those words mean?

[Caution]

5. Woohoo!

:yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: