Don't limit the Pledge of Allegiance and other letters to the editors

Don't limit the Pledge of Allegiance

Megyn Kelley, Fox News, reports that the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Board of Education is discontinuing the Pledge of Allegiance in their middle and high schools. The action taken there shows lack of respect and thankless pride for our veterans and all the branches of the military who have given much to preserve the freedoms we enjoy in our country. We should call to remembrance always our wounded warriors and those who have even given the ultimate sacrifice!

The pledge only takes 10 seconds to recite. There is no reason that anyone should be denied the privilege of showing their allegiance to the country they live in. The decision at Sioux Falls denies students the opportunity to learn patriotism by reciting the pledge of allegiance.

Here at home our students recite the pledge daily. Different student volunteers lead the whole class or school in the pledge. Students even learn patriotic songs. No one in our public or private schools should have to hum their way through America or the Star-Spangled Banner. It is our responsibility to teach our students how to be loyal citizens. School is a character building place which includes how to be loyal citizens.

ESTHER BUTLER TAJ


Plaudits to the mayor

The pictures of 32 black men, all alleged criminals, on the cover of the Times Free Press speaks eloquently, as a picture is worth a thousand words. I was expecting the likes of Al Sharpton to start blathering about racism, however the NAACP and, of course, your columnist, David Cook, have filled the gap nicely.

Big surprise many of the criminals' mothers and sisters attended the NAACP meeting and spoke out against the label these men have earned: "the worst of the worst." I suppose a rough average of 10 crimes per man won't qualify one as among the worst with that particular group.

We as a society share the blame for this bunch of miscreants. Aid to mothers with dependent children started the black community on the precipitous slide that has characterized the community for many years now. We are now three or four generations into this mess and reaping our unexpected reward for good intentions run amock.

When responsible black men and fathers in the community are nowhere to be found, the young men act up. Time for real consequences has arrived and plaudits to our mayor for actually doing something about crime.

JIM HOWARD

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