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Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

"It's about civil rights, stupid!" 10 y/o boy defends sit-down campaign of Pledge

This week, a 10 year old boy in Arkansas, named Will Phillips began a sit-down campaign protesting the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.  He noted that the term “liberty and justice for all” excludes LGBTQI people in this country and therefore refuses to participate in stating that it exists.

(Posted at SexGenderBody)

It is inspiring to see and hear from the young minds will replace the hypocritical, deceitful, divisive, greedy hate-mongers that now shove their agenda down our throats.  I’m glad to know that when the “Blue Dogs” and GOPosaurs are gone from the public discourse and the halls of power, these minds will take their place. 

Will gave a speech to describe his intentions and to clarify his position at a recent gathering.  Thankfully, it was recorded.  Watch, listen and celebrate human decency and hope for our shared human future.

 

Speech transcript:

I did this because I wanted to exercise my inherent rights as a citizen of the United States of America. Some people objected because they didnt seem to think that people were people. I am a PERSON who is ten years old but I am a PERSON all the same. Gay PEOPLE are PEOPLE. PEOPLE who have been voted by overwhelmingly inflexible minds to not have the rights all PEOPLE should.

Seeing a pattern?

Some people have said I was coached. Some said I was a disrespect and a disease to the U.S. of A. and some have said the most insensitive, offensive, and abhorrent things. I say they need to widen their minds and see the real world instead of staying in their own little opinionated mind boxes and see the light of day. To realize that even ten year olds can have logical opinions and to accept that I am an intelligent person like MOST people. I showed respect for the flag not only by taking it seriously but by exercising the rights referred to in the pledge, voiced by the people who support and cherish it, and by the institutions the flag represents. I appreciate the support of all those who have stood up for my right to sit down in order to stand up for what I believe is right. I apologize if thats too confusing!

A few days after my Civil Non-Violent Disobedience Act my dad said, Sometimes its easier to just go with the flow. To which I answered, Yes it does make it easier but then nothing would ever change. Activism is important. Activism is change. It is the fuel, lubricant, and engine that drives the slowly moving turtlemobile that is progress. Without intelligent peace loving activists the world would have long since been destroyed by horrible, disgusting, terrifying, illogical, violent, unnerving, excruciating war.

But now lets be chipper! I apologize for such an inconceivably long few words. Good night and to quote the great Will Phillips, Its about Civil Rights Stupid!!


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/ 4 Comments

4 comments

  2. Chris Blask

    The logic is inescapable.  Anyone who in any way attacks this individual’s action only proves his point.

    In Mississauga, Ontario Canada the sound of a chair scraping backwards echoed through the silent halls of Meadowvale High School.  It was mid-September, 1981, the Canadian national anthem had just finished and the entire student and faculty population of the school stood motionless waiting for the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer.   Except for one student who sat down, picked up a book and began reading.

    The first week or two I had stood through both the anthem and the prayer, at first stunned that the religious invocation was being repeated in a public school to an ethnically and theologically mixed student population.  I was new to the school that year, didn’t know any other students and had no idea that this was possible in a western country in the late twentieth century.  That day as I stood listening to the anthem I resolved to do what I thought was right, but as those steel legs rasped across the floor and I felt all eyes turn to me I could have thrown up from the stress.  It was easier the next day, and the day after, and eventually it didn’t bother me much to sit down each day while everyone else stood.

    Later in the year our principal come to talk to our law class.  I asked the first – and last – question that day: “Why have you chosen to repeat the words of a single religion 181 times to captive students who are not all of that faith?”  We spent the rest of the class in debate, he and I.  His answers included that “Canada is a Christian nation”, that it was founded by Christians and that Christianity was and is the state-approved, sponsored and often funded religion.  That, as a principal, it was his choice whether or not to play the Lord’s Prayer every day.  That, further, God did not approve of other religions and that it was his holy duty to expose those under his care to the Truth of Christ.

    It is not a popularity-generating thing to do in school, to stand up and make a moral point.  Kudos to you, Will Phillips.  It is about Civil Rights, and those who don’t understand that certainly are being stupid.

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