Pledge of Alligance

While waiting for my wheelchair lift to be looked at in Modesto. The owner of the shop sho shoed the two vets out of the main office to the waiting room. They were carrying on a conversation that was just getting too loud for the conduct of business over the phone. One vet was on a wheelchair and had a service dog. The service dog was an older yellow lab. He was proudly showing off his purple heat vest with two handles on it to all that were in the waiting room.

There are times that you know you really should keep your mouth shut and let the public squirm or reveal in their fact-less preconception. But I didn't and so the statements got louder.

First... you have seen a lot of changes in the world since you were little. The Purple heart decorated man agreed. Wasn't it better when you were in school. The students all pledged the flag and sang my country tis of thee?

Old golden lab found a comforting spot and layed down on my feet and leaned up against my legs. 

I had to jump in. I have never been working at a school where they didn't do this in some form or another. The pledge was always done. The students and the teachers all stood at attention. They did not always sing My Country Tis of Thee... but I could bet that maybe one of these characters did not sing it every day they were in High School. So I gave them the wisdom of my experience and asked them if they knew of any school in the area that did not do the same. They could not. Even when challenged.

Then I heard the usual crap about our country losing its Christian themes. Another one hard for me to swallow. Maybe if they spent a day or two on a campus they would know the diversity of ethnic origins that the modern day students bring to classes. Then one said a person from the far east said that their religion was the basis for all religions that followed. Again not true and he knew it.  If you look at the dates Christianity predates Allah. Its pretty crazy when you hear these untruths.. he had to admit that the following of the Sun was probably the really first religion. 

Sadly its this kind of stuff that is getting in the way of a lasting peace in the Isreal/Palestinian issue. There might be some changes as reported in the last couple of days if some trust issues can be solved. Pretty amazing times.

We all backed out of the conversation noting that it was good to talk of people of varying opinions. I am sure that I will be quoted as the wild eyed liberal that was totally out of touch.  Maybe I am.

: ) Pat