Somewhere in a small town in Minnesota, recently, three eight-grade nose pickers decided it’s be fun to piss off their teacher by staying seated during the Pledge of Allegiance. You see, even in junior high schools around the country, kids stand once a week and recite the Pledge. They don’t HAVE to say the words, but they do have to drag their asses out of their desk chairs and stand.
But these no-brained brats in smallville thought it funny to dis their teacher, the school rules, the flag, their country, and the men and women fighting for our freedom by thumbing their noses at the Pledge and staying on their fat bums.
Naturally, the nosepickers’ mommies and daddies are now contemplating how they can make a quick buck and sue the principal who suspended the kids as well as sue the school district the principal works for. You can read the whole diatribe in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
What’s the solution here? Clearly it’s twofold.
FIrst, many parents have forgotten how to teach the basics about respect. Respect for property, people (including authority figures like teachers and police officers), animals, and the freedom that, believe it or not, isn’t so free but comes at the utmost highest of prices everyday in far away countries. Teaching respect is a chore and I personally know parents who gave up on putting forth effort to teach their kids what they need to know to excel in life.
Secondly, we have to get it out of our heads that kids under the age of 18 have any real rights at all. Just like respect, rights are earned they aren’t automatic. When an immature child makes a bad decision, causes someone or something harm and then shouts, “It’s my right!” they should be duly laughed at and punished appropriately.
Respect for right conduct is felt by every body.” -Jane Austen
Society is moving towards this mentality of Rodney Dangerfield. We have to stop the “no respect” mentality before it’s completely out of control.
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