21 Sep 05 An Unexpected Pause
Madison is helping out a travel softball team as a bench catcher. Last night Reese and I waited in the car while Madison was catching. We could only be there for about a ¬? hour because we had a small group bible study to attend. The practice field is at a local high school field which abounds with activity on any given night.
The place is teeming with life and activity. People run around the track. People walk around the track. The Arlington kids football team practices on one side of the track infield. Another softball team practices on the other side. There is a batting cage and a basketball court. Young girls are brainwashed and indoctrinated to become cheerleaders. Parents sit in their folding camping chairs watching their youngsters become the next Peyton Manning or Donnavan McNabb.
The field is adjacent to the High School stadium. Last night’s activity in the stadium was girls field hockey. The PA system blared out the welcome, the introduction of players in the line up and began to play a recording of the national anthem.
It was as if someone had flipped a switch. All activity stopped on the fields in front of us. The kids practicing all stopped and stood silently through the singing. Parents rose from their camping chairs and placed their hands over their hearts. Even the hooligans on the basketball court stopped playing for the moment. It was quite an amazing site. It was so spontaneous, seemingly out of context.
The people on the practice fields had not come to see the field hockey game, could not even see the game from the practice fields. They could only hear the sounds. They heard the singing and stood. It was quite a sight.
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One of the many weird things about the teaching profession is that I say the Pledge of Alleigance 180 times a year. It’s hard to pay attention to the words sometimes but I try to always remind myself how odd it would be to work in an office, but to stand up at 9:52 each day and salute the flag. It means something when I keep that in mind.
For the record, kids do NOT mess around in my class during the flag salute. Ever.
Go to Back To School Night.
We were just talking the other night with some Swiss who did a year of high-school in the good ole US of A. They said it was the strangest thing to say the pledge of alleigance. Really… FOREIGN. Anyway, several of them had to learn the words to the NATIONAL ANTHEM and they don’t even know the words to the Swiss Hymn. They really don’t. No one knows it.
So patriotism is shown in different ways in different places.
mcdnccb
It’s great when you get that lump in your throat, isn’t it? I was descibing that feeling one day to a co-worker, and she replied rather caustically (I guess because she thought I was dense) that “It’s called patriotism!”
I’ve been in similar situations out here on the left coast and hardly anyone paid any attention to the national anthem. At events where the Pledge of Allegiance is said, I would guess well over half the people stand (if they stand at all) and never say a word. But then, well over half the people out here are from Mexico!
What a neat experience for you and Reese to share.