Claire Benson
Wired Staff Writer
Our first amendment guarantees the right to free expression and action; two concepts that are essential in a democratic government. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of press and freedom of religion are all included in the first amendment.
Colin Kaepernick, a former San Francisco 49ers player, started a ripple effect in 2016 when he began kneeling during the national anthem before NFL games. This movement, primarily protesting racial injustice in the United States, quickly spread nationwide. With its increased popularity, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement remaining prevalent, there have been many supporters as well as critics surfacing; ready to voice their opinions in both verbal and nonverbal ways.
Although there are a large amount of football players who choose to kneel during the national anthem, they are not the only ones that have exercised their first amendment rights. Students of all kinds, as well as many students at Westside, have taken notice of this movement. Junior Ryne Siler chooses not to stand for the pledge every day.
“It depends on a daily basis if I stand or not,” Siler said. “I feel like if I stand every day for the pledge it kind of takes the meaning away from it.”
Siler said he feels as though students have the right to choose whether or not to stand since it is a form of self-expression.
“I believe that it is an American right to stand for the pledge, or choose not to stand for the pledge, and I don’t believe it should be forced on anyone,” Siler said. “So when I see others doing it I see it as a sign of protest. It’s nothing more than that. It’s just the way that people wish to express themselves and what they believe in.”
English teacher Molly Hunt-Spisak said she stands for the pledge, mostly to honor our country’s servicemen.
“Most days I [stand for the pledge],” Spisak said. “I think of it more as reverence to our country, but also for the people, especially the military, that fight for our country. So I stand for the pledge, in honor of our military servicemen past and present.”
Hunt-Spisak said she holds ideas similar to Siler’s.
“I think it is a great honor to be able to choose whether you stand or not stand [for the pledge],” Spisak said. “I think that component of freedom of speech is foundational in our country.”
