American citizens, high school students especially, need to pay better respect to their country’s flag, and to the country itself. There is not much that makes me angrier than when my fellow students do not stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning. This seemingly unimportant early morning act is a sign of complete disrespect towards the United States of America. You are free to say whatever you want, practice whatever religion you want, assemble wherever you want. You have the right to bear arms. You have the right to a fair trial. You can petition against anything you want to. You can do all of this and much more, simply because you are a citizen of the United States. You should absolutely love being an American. Yet you cannot simply stand up for ten seconds and place your right hand over your heart?

What is the reason behind this act of irreverence anyway? I suppose someone might not pledge allegiance each morning because they hate their country, or do not believe that there is “liberty and justice for all.” If this is the case, they have a decent excuse not to stand up for the Pledge each morning. I do not, however, agree with them in the slightest. They are entitled to their opinions because they are American citizens, but they are not respecting it. You shouldn’t take for granted something that is a right given to you, even if it seems meaningless. Another reason why many of my fellow students do not salute the Pledge in the morning is because they are too lazy, or too tired. This is what I am truly frustrated and disgusted with. Are you kidding me? The U.S. has done so much for its citizens and yet those same citizens have absolutely no respect for it. If you can’t find the ounce of energy needed each morning to stand up for ten seconds so that you can simply respect the American flag, you don’t really deserve to be a citizen here. As the great John F. Kennedy famously said, “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” What can you do for your country as a high schooler? Well it starts with standing up, putting your right hand over your heart, and respecting the land of the free and the home of the brave.