Will Phillips isn't like other boys his age.
For one thing, he's smart. Scary smart. A student in the West Fork School District in Washington County, he skipped a grade this year, going directly from the third to the fifth. When his family goes for a drive, discussions are much more apt to be about Teddy Roosevelt and terraforming Mars than they are about Spongebob Squarepants and what's playing on Radio Disney.
....
Will's family has a number of gay friends. In recent years, Laura Phillips said, they've been trying to be a straight ally to the gay community, going to the pride parades and standing up for the rights of their gay and lesbian neighbors. They've been especially dismayed by the effort to take away the rights of homosexuals – the right to marry, and the right to adopt. Given that, Will immediately saw a problem with the pledge of allegiance.
“I've always tried to analyze things because I want to be lawyer,” Will said. “I really don't feel that there's currently liberty and justice for all.”
Will asked his parents if it was against the law to refuse to say the pledge of allegiance. When they said no, he decided not to stand and say the pledge each day at school, which brought trouble his way. Read the rest of the story at the website.
The final words of the story:
At the end of our interview, I ask young Will a question that might be a civics test nightmare for your average 10-year-old. Will's answer, though, is good enough — simple enough, true enough — to give me a little rush of goose pimples. What does being an American mean?
“Freedom of speech,” Will says, without even stopping to think. “The freedom to disagree. That's what I think pretty much being an American represents.”
Somewhere, Thomas Jefferson smiles.
Yes, indeed. I'm smiling, too.
From the Arkansas Times.
Thanks to David@Montreal for sending the link.
Did any of us have the cojones to take the stand Will did at the age of ten?
ReplyDeleteI know I didn't.
Wish I'd had.
I would not have had the courage at the age of 10 unless the issue had to do with unfairness to ME. That Will is outward looking and caring enough to take an unpopular stand against unfairness to others at the age of 10 is pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteThis boy's courage raises in me all the terrors of my childhood. They fill my gut, I cannot wait to flee from the scandal this young prophet creates in his community.
ReplyDeleteThe scandal, which should be obvious, is that this boy doesn't buy into the scapegoating that his culture engages in. Those who have bought into the scapegoating will be scandalized, and those who, like his parents, understand the game that is played, over and over, will (I hope) support him in his challenge to the common culture.
I really don't feel that there's currently liberty and justice for all.
ReplyDeleteNow THAT'S a smart and observant kid. A child after my own heart.
Too bad we can't just skip him right into the third year of law school. Our side could use more lawyers like Will!
Hounour and Love for the boy! May he prosper and achieve his dreams!
ReplyDeleteHe is a total hero and a true American.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was his age (over half a century ago) and until I got through high school I silently added "except for minorities" at the end of the pledge since I knew we did not yet have liberty and justice for all (and still don't). But I did not have the guts of this lad.
Paul, you deserve a pat on the back for your silent protest.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like a lad to be proud of.
ReplyDelete