An Arkansas 10-year-old wants "liberty and justice for all," including gays and lesbians. Will Phillips decided not to recite the Pledge of Allegiance during class because he feels it does not include all Americans.
Phillips decided not to stand the weekend before while studying the pledge. "I was analyzing the meanings of it because I want to be a lawyer," the 10-year-old said during a CNN interview. "I looked at the end," he continued, "and it said 'liberty and justice for all' and there really isn't liberty and justice for all. Gays and lesbians cant marry. There is still a lot of racism and sexism in the world."
When challenged by his substitute teacher, Phillips responded "solemnly, with a little bit of malice in my voice" and told her "Ma'am, with all due respect, you can go jump off a bridge..."
Now, if only 10-year-olds could vote...
When I lived in the US, I forbade my children to recite the pledge of allegiance, not only because we were not US citizens, but mainly because the teacher was unable to explain to the children what words like “pledge” and “allegiance” meant so that they could understand.