Without Allegiance, Where Is Your Country?

I read “Intended to Unite, Displays of Patriotism Divide Some Schools” (Oct. 12), about the new patriotism in schools today. The sentence that made me angry is about parents who prefer “that students come to their own conclusions about whether the country deserves their allegiance.”

These people live in this country, they benefit from the rights that are granted by our country’s Constitution, they benefit from all the services in this country and yet they want to reserve the right to pledge their allegiance to this country. If you cannot give your country your allegiance, no matter where you live, then do that country a favor by leaving. If you are a citizen of the United States your country deserves--no, requires--your loyalty and your allegiance. If you can’t give your allegiance and your loyalty to the U.S., then go somewhere else. I dare you to find anywhere else as good as the United States of America.

Bendia Cushing

San Fernando

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The Arabic word “Islam” does not mean “peace.” It means “submission,” specifically submission to the will of God. Just check Webster’s. Also check the Madison, Wis., school board, which eliminated the “martial” words from “The Star-Spangled Banner” and made the Pledge of Allegiance optional.

The martial words of the national anthem, by the way, are in the passage that tells us that “our flag was still there.” The Madison school board and other “peace” advocates are the reason we’ll have no peace for a long time. And please venture a guess as to who gets to decide what “the will of God” is according to Islam. I don’t think it’s the Madison school board.

Charles K. Sergis

Calabasas