Teen protests Pledge said in foreign languages

Student claims school's broadcasts disrespect country

The Associated Press
Updated: 9:05 a.m. ET March 10, 2005

MILLERSVILLE, Md. - A ninth-grader is protesting his school's decision to broadcast the Pledge of Allegiance in foreign languages as part of National Foreign Language Week.

Patrick Linton said he and other students at Old Mill High School sat down rather than stand Wednesday when the pledge was read over the school's public address system in Russian. Linton's teacher told him if he had a problem he should leave the room.

He did, and did not plan to return this week.

"This is America, and we got soldiers at war," the 15-year-old said. "When you're saying the Pledge in a different language which nobody understands, that's not OK."

Charles Linton, Patrick's father, said the use of other languages is disrespectful to the country. "It's like wearing a cross upside down in a church," he said.

The pledge was to be read in Spanish, French, Latin, Russian and German. School officials said the activity will continue, with the English version of the pledge being read first for the rest of the week.

"This is just a way to connect what's going on in the classroom and this daily activity where we say the Pledge of Allegiance," said Jonathan Brice, a spokesman for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Xenophobia at its finest I should think. Obviously he gets his warped beliefs from his father. I love how he brings up the troops in Iraq as if that has anything to do with the situation. I guess anything can be justified so long as you mention the troops. I'm going to do that the next time I'm late for work.

Boss: "Why are you late RfromP?"
RfromP: "But this is America and we got soldiers at war!!"
Boss: "I'm sorry. Please go to your cube and continue with whatever it is that you do."
RfromP:

I believe The Pledge of Allegiance is still a pledge to the United States of America no matter what language it is spoken even if you can't understand the language.