I PLEDGE

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Candace Nicholas-Lippman

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I work at an elementary school
In a beautifully diverse classroom
They've now reinforced the rule
Where everyone must stand
And pledge allegiance to the flag

So there I rise
With these twenty-four little lives
Turn to set my eyes
On the blue, red and white
The teacher then
Instructs us to place our right hand
Across our chest
But all of the sudden
I feel conflicted

Let me say this
That what I am going to address
In this poem
Is in no way a reflection
On those
Who have fought and sacrificed
Who have given their lives
For my freedom and rights
I am grateful and I salute you
I'm just sharing my truth

So there I am
Standing before this flag
Conflicted
And they began
To pledge allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America
And to the Republic
For which it stands
One nation
Under God
Indivisible
With liberty and justice for all

My hand didn't make it to my chest
No words left my lips
I, myself, was surprised by this reaction
Something in my spirit
Just couldn't connect
To what we were pledging
I felt the teacher's gaze upon me
But she wouldn't understand nor could she see
The struggle I battled within me
I wanted to take a knee
To stand in solidarity
With Colin Kaepernick
Who was not only benched
But stripped
Of his entire NFL career
Because he stood up for what he held dear
Which was justice in America
And yes, I understand
It was the Star-Spangled Banner
He was "protesting"
But if you think about it
It's all the same

That song, this flag
It's all meant
To represent
Liberty, justice and equal treatment
For all

But that's not America
When we have the Muslim Ban
Or a wall being built by this Country's President
And we must never forget
Sandra Bland
Alton Sterling
Trayvon Martin
Oscar Grant
Philando Castile
Michael Brown
Freddie Gray
Shelly Frey
Tamir Rice
Who was only twelve years old
When they took his life
No convictions
You want me to pledge to this?

Or how about the fact
That I am an American
But I'm not accepted
Because of the color of my skin
No matter how patriotic
I try to be
All you see is my black poverty
No matter how much I straighten my hair
To cater to your perception of beauty
I will always be a black monkey
No matter how many college degrees or big words I learn
I'll never be accepted into your America

Fictional character, Annalise Keating
Says it best
"Racism is built into the DNA of America"
This is black and white
No gray areas
The President
Who associates with KKK
Who sees "the blacks" as "lazy and shiftless"
Mexicans as "drug lords and rapists"
Muslims as inadequate
And women
Who he can objectify and disrespect
Demands that I pledge to this nonsense
I can't

I can't pledge to this flag
I can't pledge to the hypocrisy
This is supposed to be
Home of the brave
Land of the free
A country
Full of unlimited possibilities
But I believe
That only applies to the privileged elite
We are not indivisible
We are not one nation
I'm so sick of this conversation
We should be progressing
But instead we're like children
Making the same mistakes
Again and again
Police brutality, cultural appropriation
Systematic racism, prejudice injustice
When will it end?

I'm different
You're different
We're different
And that's what makes this country beautiful
And unique
We should be celebrating
But instead
There's this superiority complex
In which we can't/won't accept
And appreciate these differences
So until you can

No longer see me as this second class
Burden to society
Or the great black enemy
When I'm seemingly accepted
As your form of entertainment
Stereotyping and mimicking
Black culture
Appropriating our lips, hips and naturally bomb swag
Killing off black women and men
Like call of duty on a PlayStation
I won't pledge to this

I pledge to continue to use my voice
I pledge to rise up against the injustice
To spring forward towards progression
To bring awareness
Raising our consciousness
In hopes that we can
Truly live by what this flag represents
Equality, justice and an indivisible nation
Because remember
Always remember
I, too, am America

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