While on my way home this afternoon, I drove by Sheridan Elementary in NE Mpls. At
Sheridan, the UN flag is flown with the MN flag and US flag. Now, on this same drive
I also drove past Edison High. I did not see any flags outside. However, my guess
would be that UN flags appear in other schools. Now, the Mayor's aide may have a
point (albeit one that I personally was not overly impressed with) when the claim was
made that sans flags of every nation for visiting dignitaries, the UN flag is used for
a general substitute. However, that would not seem to be a reason for schools to have
a UN flag. Would any of our School Board Members on the list care to offer a reason
why?
As it seems that the objection here is the subtle pledging of an allegiance to an
organization that may not be one that all agree with, let me ask another question. Is
the Pledge of Allegiance that I said everyday in grade school still said at
Minneapolis Public Schools? If not, then I would offer that we are potentially trying
to get Mpls. schoolchildren to pledge allegiance to one larger organization but not
our own country. If so, that would be a reason for concern. If there is any place
that we should not be working to "brainwash" children, our places of learning should
be it. Isn't our schools supposed to be a place where all thoughts are supposed to be
welcomed with it with the aim of achieving truth, even if we personally disagree with
it?
Now, I do notice the potential ironic place I am putting myself in proffering my own
opinion and saying those who support the UN flag here, there, and everywhere are
wrong; particularly when I am saying that we should not be "brainwashing"
impressionable children into one way of thinking. My point, however, is that if we
are going to suggest a certain idea, we must always be ready to entertain competing
ideas with the ultimate aim of reaching the "right" one, especially in our schools.
Wow. That was quite the rant that I hope was somewhat intelligible to other people
beside myself. And I wasn't even thinking about the list (nothing personal) on my
drive home until I saw the UN flag.
Gary Bowman
Audubon Park- Ward 1
www.bowman2001.org
On Thu, 12 April 2001, "Phyllis Kahn" wrote:
>
> The UN flag was flown over the state capitol for many years by state law , but
>sometime perhaps in the early 80's, was taken down and replaced by the POW-MIA flag.
>I voted against the change and still miss the UN flag.
>
> Phyllis Kahn, State Rep 59B
>
> _______________________________________________
> Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
> Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
> http://e-democracy.org/mpls
---------------------------------------------------
Get your free web based email from Crosswalk.com:
http://mail.crosswalk.com
_______________________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
