Some kid says the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic, and out come the Crusaders

[Ike_Witt]

So, if you say the pledge in English, do you join Sinn Fein?

[Miller]

@Richard_Parker

The school said it apologized because some parents of soldiers killed in Afghanistan were offended.

Do you mean to tell me that after thirteen fucking years of war in Afghanistan that even those Americans who served there don’t know what language they speak?

I’ve bolded the discontinuity in your argument.

[Typo_Negative]

This is great! I was looking for something stupid and inconsequential to be pissed off about!

[Richard_Parker]

@Miller

I’ve bolded the discontinuity in your argument.

And here I thought I was making a joke, not an argument!

(But while we’re nitpicking, it wasn’t “parents of soldiers” but rather relatives of soldiers generally.)

[Stringbean]

I’m not concerned by the fact that it was the Pledge of Allegiance said in Arabic.

I’m more concerned that our schools indulge students not speaking English. That is the primary method of integration in this country; what purpose does it really serve in our schools?

[Miller]

@Richard_Parker

And here I thought I was making a joke, not an argument!

This is the Straight Dope! You do both, or you find yourself another goddamn message board!

[Typo_Negative]

@Stringbean

I’m not concerned by the fact that it was the Pledge of Allegiance said in Arabic.

I’m more concerned that our schools indulge students not speaking English. That is the primary method of integration in this country; what purpose does it really serve in our schools?

Ahem…

On Wednesday, as Pine Bush High School was celebrating National Foreign Language Week,

Not sure if you were being serious. The kid said it in a different language because it was foreign language week. Kids learning other languages helps them quite a bit, might even give them a leg up in a global economy.

If the kid said it French, no fucks would have been given.

[samclem]

@Stringbean

I’m not concerned by the fact that it was the Pledge of Allegiance said in Arabic.

I’m more concerned that our schools indulge students not speaking English. That is the primary method of integration in this country; what purpose does it really serve in our schools?

Baby steps. It works better than confrontation. IMHO.

[Miller]

@Stringbean

I’m not concerned by the fact that it was the Pledge of Allegiance said in Arabic.

I’m more concerned that our schools indulge students not speaking English. That is the primary method of integration in this country; what purpose does it really serve in our schools?

You know that most schools actually have entire classes in foreign languages? It’s true! I saw it on the TV!

[Stringbean]

@Typo_Negative

If the kid said it French, no fucks would have been given.

No doubt about that. Let’s just keep our school-sanctioned activities in English.

[bmoak]

@Captain_Amazing

Oh, come on! Pine Bush is Upstate NY now? It’s Orange County. I still say that’s downstate.

It’s north of Yonkers, so it’s upstate.

[Stringbean]

@samclem

Baby steps. It works better than confrontation. IMHO.

It also puts a magnifying glass on the differences these children have from one another, which causes the occasional ruckus (as in this case) and reinforces the early formulation that this girl is somehow to be treated different than everyone else.
*
Hey children, look at her. She’s special and different. Treat her like I just didn’t say she’s special and different from all of you.
*

[Stringbean]

@samclem

Baby steps. It works better than confrontation. IMHO.

This caused confrontation.

[Captain_Amazing]

@bmoak

It’s north of Yonkers, so it’s upstate.

That attitude is the real enemy here.

[Lemmytheseal2]

@Miller

You know that most schools actually have entire classes in foreign languages? It’s true! I saw it on the TV!

Those have been controversial as well, for similar reasons.

[kaylasdad99]

@Stringbean

No doubt about that. Let’s just keep our school-sanctioned activities in English.

Including foreign languages week?

How’s that work, exactly?

[Buck_Godot]

@Stringbean

what purpose does it really serve in our schools?

Well ideally it helps the students to grow up into the kind of person who can accept the existence other non-American cultures enough that they don’t freak out when their little darlings hear the pledge of allegiance in Arabic over the school intercom.

[jayjay]

@Lemmytheseal2

Those have been controversial as well, for similar reasons.

Oh, for… :smack:

Someone signal the mothership. I’m ready to leave the planet.

[gigi]

@Captain_Amazing

That attitude is the real enemy here.

I’m from Kingston and the NYT refers to us as “upstate” in the movie listings. Good enough for me.

[BigT]

Let’s allow all their prejudices for a moment. This the Muslim language, used by those who want to blow up the U.S. Why would you object to your enemies pledging allegiance to your country’s flag and current government?

Are we so remedial now that we don’t know what allegiance is?