Stars and Stripes Forever
My kids are growing up, and as they get older, I believe it’s increasingly important to educate them about their duties as citizens. I worry about the ignorance of Americans of their own history, from the framing of the Constitution to why we go to war with other nations.
In anticipation of Independence Day, I sat down with my kids to see what they already knew and what was left to teach. I taped it all and some of it is below. As always, they amazed me with their honesty and their interest in the world around them. Try it with your own kids soon. You’ll probably be amazed, too.
ON FLAGS:
LENA: You have to stand up for the color guard.
ME: Why?
L: You have to honor them, the soldiers that fought for us.
EMMA: They already honored us by fighting, and we have to honor them back. It’s a circle.
ME: What else do you know about honoring the flag?
L: It can’t ever touch the ground!
ME: Right. It’s considered disrespectful.
L: When Grandpa Allen died, they had a flag over his coffin.
E: Then they folded up and gave it to Grandma Margaret.
ME: What else do you know about flags?
L: Ooh! I know! If it’s raining out, you take it down.
E: And you take it down at night.
JEFFREY: Why at night does it have to come down?
L: So no one steals it!
ME: No. Flag etiquette says it should only fly during daylight. So, do you guys know what happens when someone important dies?
ALL KIDS: -blank stares-
ME: They fly the flag at half-mast. That means only part-way up the flag pole. It’s a sign of respect for the person who died.
L: If I was important and I died, I would want the flag to fly way up there for me! I would want a second flagpole stacked on top and then someone to sit up there and keep that flag safe!
J: I like going with you to vote.
ME: Why?
J: You like to vote. And I like it when you’re happy.
E: I like going with you because it’s pretty amazing to see all of the people who just come to our school to vote. It makes me feel so proud to see everyone out voting.
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE:
L: What’s it called when people are upset with the government and they show up in a group so the government knows?
E: Protesting.
ME: Yep. Sometimes it’s called demonstrating or marching.
L: We don’t always march. You could hold a big sign that says what you believe, or make up a chant and chant it really loud.
ME: That’s your responsibility as a citizen of this country. You need to tell the government in peaceful ways when you don’t agree with them. People don’t have this right in every country.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
ME: When you started fourth grade, you wanted to know what all the words in the pledge meant. Do you remember?
L: Umm … no.
ME: Let’s talk about it for a minute. “I pledge allegiance…” Does anyone know what “pledge” means?
L: Promise.
ME: Right. And “allegiance,” what does that mean?
L: Does it mean “really?” Like, “I really promise.”
ME: Nope. Try again?
L: “Your life?”
ME: Kind of. More like loyalty. So the first part means, “I promise my loyalty.” Next: “to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands.” What’s a republic?
E: Like the public and the all the people?
ME: Jeffrey? Do you know?
J: Umm … I want to know! Umm … No. I don’t know.
ME: In this case, “the Republic” means our country. The government that makes our laws and the people who live here. So now we’ve got: I promise my faithfulness to the flag and to the country that it stands for. What’s the next part?
ALL KIDS: “One country. Under God. Indivisible”
E: What does that mean? “Indivisible?”
ME: Exactly! So, “One country, under God, which can’t be divided.” What’s the next part?
ALL KIDS: “With liberty and justice for all!”
ME: Does anyone know what liberty is?
E: Liberty is like freedom, right?
ME: Yup. So then, what’s “justice?” Jeffrey? Do you know?
J: (laughs) No.
L: Is it your rights?
ME: It’s the right to a fair trial and to not be held without cause…
L: And innocent until proven guilty?
ME: Yes, that’s a really important part of it, too.
E: Justice sounds complicated.
THE WAR:
ME: Do you guys talk about why we’re at war in school?
ALL KIDS: No.
ME: You don’t discuss it in your lessons?
L: We talk about math. And other school stuff.
ME: So, do you guys know why we’re at war?
L: We’re at war with Afghanistan because of 9/11. But I don’t know why we’re at war with Iraq. I watch the news and everything, but I just don’t get it.
E: Me neither.
