Let's talk about Colin Kaepernick.
Actually, let's not talk about him. I just figured that he was the reason everyone clicked on the article.
Let's talk about me instead.
I know I can't be the only one who knew all of the made up words to the Pledge of Allegiance.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag, Michael Jackson is my dad..." or something like that. I used to think that they were hilarious. I remember we would all start saying the wrong words to the pledge and would all look at each other to see who would dare say it the loudest where the teacher could possibly hear.
For me, the pledge wasn't a pledge, but something we were forced to say every single day for, pretty much, the entirety of my elementary and middle school days.
It wasn't until high school, that I realized that I didn't hear that familiar voice saying, "Everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance."
I remember wondering out loud why we didn't say the pledge and hearing a girl exclaim that she would never say the pledge because it wasn't really "for all" like it says at the end. I didn't really put too much more thought into it after that.
It wasn't until this whole Colin Kaepernick "disrespecting America" nonsense, that I really began thinking about our "liberties" and "protest" and a whole slew of other words that I've been hearing over the past few weeks.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the republic, of which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
(The National Anthem is also about the flag, freedom, bombs bursting, etc.)
I don't remember where I heard this, but it's something that should be common knowledge: the Constitution, our Supreme Law of the Land, and basically any other article or paper or amendment written "in the beginning" (late 18th century) were written for and by white males. The only reason why black people were considered, even just by 3 quarters, was because some states wanted to be counted for more and by counting the slaves, that particular state would have more leverage, if you will.
Saying "liberty and justice for all" is incorrect. Let's forget about present time for a moment and just realize that back in 1776 when America became independent, the only people considered were white males. Women were not considered, no one of color was considered. If you were not white and a male, you didn't matter until much later. And some would argue that you still don't matter unless you're white and male (I would be one of those people).
Who don't we matter to? I can't tell you that the government doesn't care about us or simply throw the word bureaucracy at you as an explanation because those are really big entities that would require a lot of investigation to prove my point. I would say that I don't think that I, being a black female, matter as much to someone like Donald Trump and all of his supporters. I also believe that it's ludicrous to say that Colin Kaepernick is being disrespectful to America by not standing for the anthem. The one thing that white males were able to do in the 18th century, was express/come up with the rights of the people and of government. They just didn't include all people, but Colin has a right to protest just as much as anyone else does.
I guess my whole point in writing this is to ask a few questions: what exactly has America done for me that another country has not? Will I go to Europe and be given the same treatment, as a black female, there? Why is it so important that we (physically) stand for a country with a Supreme Law of the Land that doesn't express rights for everyone? Or rather, that wasn't initially intended to express rights for all and has yet to do so?
Feel free to answer in the comments.
