I have a bunch of new seniors in my homeroom class this year. The students that I have been with, for the past three + years, know that the flag salute battle is not one they are going to win. I am about as patriotic as they come. I look great in blue, Independence Day is without a doubt my favorite holiday, fireworks set to Neal Diamond songs make me tear up, I see no other reason for apples than pie, and when baseball season is over...a little piece of my heart goes into hibernation. Some of these new students haven't quite gotten the idea that I don't give a tiny rats ass if they don't want to do the flag salute. (They are just being lazy. If they actually had a valid reason or argument, it would be different....but lazy just plain annoys the crap out of me.) Thus, they get some variation of the, "I don't give a crap what you think about it. We are in America…show some respect/gratitude for the fact that you even have the option to piss away the free education and opportunities that are right here in front of you. Get your lazy can up out of your chair and be glad that I don't make you all freaking sing, The Star Spangled Banner." talk.
Anyhow- that struggle prompted a conversation which included phrases the likes of, "In my country…" "This used to be Mexico, anyway." and my personal favorite was this,
Expansionist 1- "Man, you know what country we should have taken by now?"
Expansionist 2- "huuuuuh?"
Expansionist 1-"Alaska, man. We should have taken that a long time ago."
Expansionist 2-"Are you serious right now?"
Expansionist 1- "Yeah man, it's just sitting there."
Expansionist 2- "Hmmmm. Maybe we can swing by and grab Hawaii right after we take Alaska."
Expansionist 1- "Whatever man….I meant, what's that place right above us? Canada? That's like right above us, no?"
Expansionist 2 and I- Laugh, mock and poke fun for the rest of the period.
Moral of the story: Look out Alaska, we're coming for you....and maybe tell Hawaii not to get too comfortable. They're next.
4 comments:
I can't believe the disrespect of people. And how clueless they can be too!
You know what...if you have a problem with this country or showing respect to it...there are PLENTY of other countries to go live in!
I am happy that you stand up for your beliefs and America!
Yeah- I think it's mostly just a lazy teenager thing...but I figure, why let it persist.
Plus-I am pretty much happy with any excuse to mock my students when they say dumb things. So it all works out in the end.
Good job keeping them in line!
Hey, I think it's great that you are so patriotic.
In schools in Australia, we are not allowed to be ---we might upset someone who has come from another country---and no religious instruction because we might offend some one---
Geez, it's Australia---love us or hate us, if you want to live here, be one of us
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