School Bells – Current Affairs – Grade 8 – Week 22
Patriotism?
Since last meeting 8th grade students have been discussing the concept of patriotism with their families. I am eager to hear what they think about this important topic.
I hear them arriving.
Me: Good morning class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies!
Me: Yes, I have cookies. Ann and John, will you please pass them out to your classmates?
Ann and John do just that. It only takes a minute to distribute them and even less time to inhale them.
Me: It seemed as if the more recently presidential campaign went on or a very long time. Often, during the campaign it seems as if there were direct and indirect statements made calling into question the allegiance or patriotism of the candidates by their opponents. There has, during the same period of time, been a lot in the news regarding the enormous number of refugees fleeing such countries as Syria and a lot about “illegals” entering the United States from Mexico and other countries. Additionally, during this same period of time Great Britain voted to leave the European Union.
Most of you and many of we adults know people who have, for various reasons, left the country of their birth and become citizens of other countries.
Most of us are also aware that we are an increasing having to accept that one religion, race or culture does not clearly define a country. The United States is increasingly a country of people who are moving towards brown. Many of us live in communities which includes people originate from many countries, religions and cultures.
You and other young people have increasingly asked me and other adults: What does it mean to a citizen of a particular country if one has the option of leaving that country and requesting asylum or even citizenship in another country, if race, religion or cultural background does not distinguish one country from another what does?
What came up in your family discussions?
Paul: In our family we started by looking up the work patriotic in our Oxford dictionary. It says:
Having or expressing devotion to and vigorous support for one’s country:
We then looked up patriot:
A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.
Origin
Late 16th century (in the late Latin sense): from French patriote, from late Latin patriota fellow countryman, from Greek patriōtēs, from patrios of one's fathers, from patris fatherland.
In this country, we can be very critical of our country. Mom says that when you love someone or something you accept that it is not perfect. If it is something you try to make it better.
Abdul: I really like that about this country. One can be critical. On the other hand, sometimes people assume if our family is Muslim we cannot be patriotic.
Tom: My uncle said that when he criticizes the Vietnam war or even our war against Iraq, some people some people say he is not patriotic and tell him “Love it or leave it.” He gets upset because he feels as if he is being a good citizen when he talks about ways he thinks it can be better.
Will: Even though Martin Luther King thought we had that needed changing he thought of himself as patriotic.
Amena: My friend has a difficult time with The Pledge of Allegiance because he does not think that there is liberty and justice for all. My dad says that when we say The Pledge of Allegiance we are saying what our goal is and not what we are.
Susie: My mom thinks that being patriotic means that we are like a large family who is not perfect but all love each other.
Ann: But do we all love each other.
Me: Is there a difference between loving and liking each other. Sometimes in our family we do not like each other but we love each other.
Will: I know that Mr. Jim. I do not like my cousin when he acts as if he is more important than the rest of us in the family, but I do not like it when someone else is critical of him.
Me: That is a good point Will. I know a lot of people who still love the country that they came from but they also love the United States.
Tom: Can someone be a citizen of two countries?
Me: Yes, many people hold dual citizenship
Tom: What if those two countries start fighting with each other.
Abdul: That is a very tough question Tom. A lot of people our family knows are citizens of this country and also of countries where we are fighting.
Paul: But are we fighting other countries or a group of people in this country.
Ann: We used to fight Germany but we were really fighting the Nazi’s.
John: Are we ever fighting a country or are we fighting what it leaders have convinced them to do?
Me: Great question John.
Susie: People in Europe want to be part of the European Union and citizens of their country. Now Britain has decided it does not want to be members of the European Union. Some people thought they were losing their identity as Britain’s.
Paul: But some wanted to stay part of the European Union.
Me: I wonder what it means to each of you to be a citizen of the United States and a citizen of the world. Can one use the term patriot for both?
Tom: It seems we have to choose Mr. Jim. What happens if one group of citizens starts mistreating another? What does it mean to be a patriot then Mr. Jim?
Me: That is another great question. If we could make the United Nations more effective than the majority might decide that the fighting had to stop.
Paul: I thought that we already tried that and it often does not seem to work.
Me: Could it work?
Will: What if Martin Luther King Jr. had been head of the United Station?
Me: Great question. He was determined to find non-violent solutions to conflict.
Susie: We want to a talk last night as part of the Martin Luther King Jr birthday celebrations. The speaker said that we have to be strong enough to face hate with love.
Me: I heard that talk also Susie. Many people think that is a very weak way of responding. Some would say that those who are not realistic cannot be very patriotic. The make the country weak.
Tom: This gets very confusing Mr. Jim.
Me: Yes it does. What is the value of even asking these questions?
Amena: My mother says that if we do not even ask these questions we will never learn to live in peace.
Me: Thanks. That is a powerful statement. Sadly, it is time for the bell.
I am sure that we will return to these questions. Next week we had agreed to discuss what it means to be a man or a woman. Does it matter who does what job? Should one parent stay at home when there are children? Is being a man or a woman different than being male or female? If anyone does not have their list of issues, see me and I will give you one.
Paul and Amena will you hand it the cookies please?
Have a good week.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written January 17, 2017
Patriotism?
Since last meeting 8th grade students have been discussing the concept of patriotism with their families. I am eager to hear what they think about this important topic.
I hear them arriving.
Me: Good morning class.
Class: Good morning Mr. Jim. Cookies!
Me: Yes, I have cookies. Ann and John, will you please pass them out to your classmates?
Ann and John do just that. It only takes a minute to distribute them and even less time to inhale them.
Me: It seemed as if the more recently presidential campaign went on or a very long time. Often, during the campaign it seems as if there were direct and indirect statements made calling into question the allegiance or patriotism of the candidates by their opponents. There has, during the same period of time, been a lot in the news regarding the enormous number of refugees fleeing such countries as Syria and a lot about “illegals” entering the United States from Mexico and other countries. Additionally, during this same period of time Great Britain voted to leave the European Union.
Most of you and many of we adults know people who have, for various reasons, left the country of their birth and become citizens of other countries.
Most of us are also aware that we are an increasing having to accept that one religion, race or culture does not clearly define a country. The United States is increasingly a country of people who are moving towards brown. Many of us live in communities which includes people originate from many countries, religions and cultures.
You and other young people have increasingly asked me and other adults: What does it mean to a citizen of a particular country if one has the option of leaving that country and requesting asylum or even citizenship in another country, if race, religion or cultural background does not distinguish one country from another what does?
What came up in your family discussions?
Paul: In our family we started by looking up the work patriotic in our Oxford dictionary. It says:
Having or expressing devotion to and vigorous support for one’s country:
We then looked up patriot:
A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.
Origin
Late 16th century (in the late Latin sense): from French patriote, from late Latin patriota fellow countryman, from Greek patriōtēs, from patrios of one's fathers, from patris fatherland.
In this country, we can be very critical of our country. Mom says that when you love someone or something you accept that it is not perfect. If it is something you try to make it better.
Abdul: I really like that about this country. One can be critical. On the other hand, sometimes people assume if our family is Muslim we cannot be patriotic.
Tom: My uncle said that when he criticizes the Vietnam war or even our war against Iraq, some people some people say he is not patriotic and tell him “Love it or leave it.” He gets upset because he feels as if he is being a good citizen when he talks about ways he thinks it can be better.
Will: Even though Martin Luther King thought we had that needed changing he thought of himself as patriotic.
Amena: My friend has a difficult time with The Pledge of Allegiance because he does not think that there is liberty and justice for all. My dad says that when we say The Pledge of Allegiance we are saying what our goal is and not what we are.
Susie: My mom thinks that being patriotic means that we are like a large family who is not perfect but all love each other.
Ann: But do we all love each other.
Me: Is there a difference between loving and liking each other. Sometimes in our family we do not like each other but we love each other.
Will: I know that Mr. Jim. I do not like my cousin when he acts as if he is more important than the rest of us in the family, but I do not like it when someone else is critical of him.
Me: That is a good point Will. I know a lot of people who still love the country that they came from but they also love the United States.
Tom: Can someone be a citizen of two countries?
Me: Yes, many people hold dual citizenship
Tom: What if those two countries start fighting with each other.
Abdul: That is a very tough question Tom. A lot of people our family knows are citizens of this country and also of countries where we are fighting.
Paul: But are we fighting other countries or a group of people in this country.
Ann: We used to fight Germany but we were really fighting the Nazi’s.
John: Are we ever fighting a country or are we fighting what it leaders have convinced them to do?
Me: Great question John.
Susie: People in Europe want to be part of the European Union and citizens of their country. Now Britain has decided it does not want to be members of the European Union. Some people thought they were losing their identity as Britain’s.
Paul: But some wanted to stay part of the European Union.
Me: I wonder what it means to each of you to be a citizen of the United States and a citizen of the world. Can one use the term patriot for both?
Tom: It seems we have to choose Mr. Jim. What happens if one group of citizens starts mistreating another? What does it mean to be a patriot then Mr. Jim?
Me: That is another great question. If we could make the United Nations more effective than the majority might decide that the fighting had to stop.
Paul: I thought that we already tried that and it often does not seem to work.
Me: Could it work?
Will: What if Martin Luther King Jr. had been head of the United Station?
Me: Great question. He was determined to find non-violent solutions to conflict.
Susie: We want to a talk last night as part of the Martin Luther King Jr birthday celebrations. The speaker said that we have to be strong enough to face hate with love.
Me: I heard that talk also Susie. Many people think that is a very weak way of responding. Some would say that those who are not realistic cannot be very patriotic. The make the country weak.
Tom: This gets very confusing Mr. Jim.
Me: Yes it does. What is the value of even asking these questions?
Amena: My mother says that if we do not even ask these questions we will never learn to live in peace.
Me: Thanks. That is a powerful statement. Sadly, it is time for the bell.
I am sure that we will return to these questions. Next week we had agreed to discuss what it means to be a man or a woman. Does it matter who does what job? Should one parent stay at home when there are children? Is being a man or a woman different than being male or female? If anyone does not have their list of issues, see me and I will give you one.
Paul and Amena will you hand it the cookies please?
Have a good week.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Written January 17, 2017
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