“The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with respect. You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up, folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.
School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.
Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag’s real meaning remains.”
[Charlotte Aldebron, 12 years old]
HT: Trevor
DISCLAIMER: This was written by an American child. That is why the American flag is mentioned. While pledging allegiance to the flag does not happen in the UK, I fully believe that we echo these sentiments in a multitude of other ways. Thus I am not being anti-American!
I’m glad i stumbled upon your blog, tis little stories like this that cut to the issue which are fantastic to read and make me want to be more pro-active (was kinda taken back by the dedication of someone i know who goes out with vineyard to the city centre on saturdays to do work with the homeless, and have said to them to take me along next term eek). Will you be working in the tearfund venue at summer madness this year or will you be in eastern europe at that point?
Unfortunately I will be in Latvia by that stage… as much as I would love to be around for Summer Madness this year. Latvia however is where I need to be more!! Had the opportunity to do some stuff with Tearfund at CLAN too, but alas I am also in Latvia/USA over that too. Homeless ministry at GWV is something I had hoped to get involved with, unfortunately I just havent had the time, too much else going on this term. Maybe next term!