Category: LGBT Discussion
When ten-year-old Will Phillips, of West Fork, Ark., found a principle he couldn’t stand up for––he sat down. And the repercussions from that action have spread across the country.
On Monday, October 5, Will, whose family attends the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fayetteville, Arkansas, refused to stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance in his fifth-grade classroom at school. That action stemmed from a conversation he’d had with his parents, Laura and Jay Phillips, about equal rights.
In Will’s own words: “At the end of the Pledge it says ‘liberty and justice for all.’ But there isn’t justice for people who are gay. And there’s a lot of racism and sexism still, and there are lots of people who can’t get health care.”
So Will, after thoughtful consideration, decided he wasn’t going to stand up any longer for the Pledge until it represented everyone. And since October 5, he hasn’t. It hasn’t been easy. For the first four days the teacher––a substitute who knew Will’s family––kept trying to get him to stand up. On the fourth day, when she suggested that Will’s mother and grandmother would want him to stand up, Will got upset. He said something he knows he shouldn’t have. He told her, “With all due respect, ma’am, you can go jump off a bridge.”
That got him sent to the principal’s office. And onto the international stage. When Will’s mother, Laura Phillips posted about the incident on Facebook, several of her friends alerted the news media. Will has been interviewed on CNN and on several radio stations across the country as well as by local media. His story has been posted on The Huffington Post and many other blog sites.
Since early October Will has endured harassment at school from many of his peers. While some support him, many others do not, calling him names and playing pranks on him. But the issue was important enough to Will to take a stand. Appearing on CNN November 16, he said, “I've grown up with a lot of people, and good friends, that are gay. . . . I think they should have the rights all people should.”
Laura said neither she nor Jay, who both work for the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, coached or encouraged Will to sit during the Pledge. “We started getting emails right away from people who assumed he was parroting what he hears at home,” she said. “But this was entirely Will’s idea. He thought about it and told us that ‘If people don’t speak up, then nothing ever changes.’”
She added, “This is just Will being Will,” noting that he has always thought deeply about issues.
Laura said the family has friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. The Phillipses have attended pride parades and stood up for the rights of gay and lesbian neighbors. A constitutional amendment passed in Arkansas last year bars same-sex couples from adopting or being foster parents.
Laura said the family found and began attending the UU congregation in Fayetteville 20 months ago. “We love it,” she said. “We feel fortunate to have a place that backs up all that we are teaching Will. People at church have been very supportive.”
Shortly after Will began refusing to stand up, he got up at church and shared his experience during joys and concerns. “People stood up and cheered for five minutes,” he said, adding, “I like that we can think all these different things and cherish our differences at church.”
Will said he doesn’t think he’s changed any minds at school by his opposition to the Pledge. Laura disagrees. She believes Will’s action has prompted conversations all over the country about what is right. She said she is bolstered by the internet response. Although some is negative, much of it is positive. “The farther away you get from West Fork, the more vocal and widespread the support is,” she said. “Will has given the equality movement such hope. I’ve had days where I just cried at my desk over the positive responses we’ve gotten.”
Will’s action also provided a teachable moment at school, she said. “The school has been wonderful. The principal talked to the teachers and they have been able to cut out some of the bullying. Will said the teachers are really paying attention. And of course, we’ve all talked about, if this is what my son, the straight ally, is going through, what about the GLBT kids who have to put up with this every day?”
Will said, “The school district was not being bad. They handled it perfectly,” once the initial incident was past. Will said he doesn’t expect to stand up any time soon.
Laura said many people at church have taken it upon themselves to search out negative blog comments on the web about Will and respond to them. “It’s really frustrating to Will that people are being so immature,” said Laura. The Rev. David Hunter, co-minister of the UU Fellowship of Fayetteville, said, “We’re very proud of Will and what he did. He’s very articulate and very brave.”
Will may get a trip to San Francisco for his principles. “This week the National Center for Lesbian Rights contacted us,” said Laura. “They want to name Will a Fierce Ally for 2009 and they want us to come to San Francisco in April to accept it.”
Jay Phillips said he’s proud of his son for standing up for his principles. “The important thing is he has created a dialogue, a conversation, especially among the kids. There’s an increased awareness now. The inertia of complacency can be a difficult thing to overcome, but he’s started that process.”
http://ow.ly/163I7Q
that's fabulous!!!! thanks for sharing.
Good for him! What a brave and amazing boy! He's so right. People need to start respecting each other and not being hypocrits. I fully understand why he was against standing and hope that his effort pays off, even if it's only to make people realise the importance of his words. It's people like him who change the world and who give us all hope. That's horrible about the law that stops homosexuals etc. from adopting and being foster parents. That kind of thing brings out my deepest anger. As the daughter of two lesbians, it really hits home. I couldn't even imagine my life without Mom and Joanie. My biological mother was a heroin addict and I was born addicted. If Mom hadn't taken me when she did, Gods only know what would've happened to me. These people are sick! I'm so so glad that he's getting an award from that lesbian organisation. He totally deserves it. May The Gods bless him.
It takes one voice to make a change.
INCREDIBLE
Americans are so strange. I was not even aware that you have to stand up and say the pledge of allegions every day at school.
In Europe you do not, you can just be you. You don't have to pretend to be better, or more just, or superior to anyone in any way, you just have to be you, with your beliefs and convictions and beliefs and yo are free to practice what you preach, so long as it does not hurt anyone else.
In America they make a huge deal about your freedom and then beat you down as soon as you seem to go a different way from the "popular belief", and yuet you celebrate the rebels who go against the norm.
I'll never understand you guys, even if I live here and I find this a fabulous and awesome place to live, some of your ways will never make sense to me.
LOL, join the club. Hmm, we weren't required to say the pledge in school, but that was do to the phraise "one nation under God"...Because it is against some individuals' beliefs. But, I got to say, I respect this kid. :) Your right, I appreciate a rebel, and I always will. But then again, in most things that's the way I am...
wildebrew: I'll never understand Americans either, even though I was born here. You're so accurate in describing them too. *smile* If it helps, I never liked saying it. In fact, I eventually quit saying it and saluting in school. I'd just stand there until they finished. It was even worse, in elementary school, when they'd sing patriotic songs. I must admit that sometimes, I joined in but yeah. I wish that Greece had some kind of flag thing though, so that I could say it with pride and honour. I certainly have enough flags and flag-related stuff around my home to do it. *smile* cattleya: I've never heard of a school that didn't force children to say the Pledge. Very interesting.
Love it love it love it!! This kid should be President someday.
Hell, if I were still here when he ran, I'd vote for him.
Good for that kid! Americans pride themselves on having full freedom of speech. So, this kid is just living out his rights to say (or in this case not say) what he thinks. I hope people take notice and support him properly.
What a brave little boy. Regardless of whether ornot you believe or agree with what he's standing for, he is one determined kiddo. I'd be proud of my son ifhe stood upfor a cause without backing down. Especially at such a young age. Ten-year-oldsare so influential and he could've let his friends talk him out of it or just listened to his teacher and stood up like she told him to.
Wow, an amazing story.
When I read the subject line of this thread, I wondered why is it posted in the lgbt table? Boy, I'm glad my curiosity got me to read it!
Thanks
hats off to this lad. paws up from this bear for what he did and continues to do.
Omg that is amazing, and he's only 10, that just amazes me.
that truly is amazing. He's gonna grow up to be an influential person, if he can do such a great thing at the age of 10. So many kids are just beginning to develop their own opinions at that age, and even if they have them, they don't know what to do with them. It's funny how kids' feelings and opinions often get tossed by the wayside by most adults, but as soon as something like this makes the news, people start paying attention. And that's really a good thing.
For me, I never said the pledge, for me it means absolutely nothing to me. and I think all along that there was something deep within that has only recently in the passed 6 months showed itself that has made it clear to me that I am who I am, and it was my own world around me that was distorting the true me. I always wondered why I got so defensive when someone tried put down the gays and lezbians.
I admire that boys bravery, it takes balls at that age to do something but there comes to a point where one just says fuck it and does what he/she has to do.
On that note I wish I could just reach out and kiss him all over!!!
My parents were really excited when I told them about this. they told their friends too. I wonder what's happened to him since the news broke and if he's still staying strong, if they've finally accepted him etc?
I just read this now (even though it was posted months ago). That kid is awesome. I also wonder what's happened to him since then.
I'm kind of surprised at how much this kid has been fawned over on this thread. Kids can be stubborn and just because he isn't standing up doesn't mean he has some amazing perspective that other kids don't. Yeah, it takes guts to not give into peer pressure I suppose, that's about the only good thing I can say about it. Of course he has the right to do it. Schools can't make you stand up for it, it's called the first amendment. Since when did the pledge of alegance become antigay and antiminority? Look at the words! It's putting out an ideal that our country should always try to live up to. Liberty and justice for all. When I stand up for the pledge, which I always do and always will, I'm not saying the country is perfect, far from it. It reminds me that there's always work to do to improve it. I guess if this kid's actions somehow lead to some great reform that brings liberty and justice to more people, that's great. But I don't agree with it. The pledge is something all Americans should be able to be proud of. Actually, him not standing up for the pledge could be construed to mean that he doesn't support liberty and justice for all. And you can't tell me that somebody, whether it's him or his family, isn't liking the positive attention he's getting, similar to the sentiments expressed heretofore in this thread. But I'll get off my soapbox now. Just my thoughts.
But that's the point. It's a lie. If there truly was liberty and ustice for all in this country, then EVERYBODY, whether gay, lesbian, bi, transgender, Muslim or what have you would be able to live their lives in this country in peace, at least so long as their views and attitudes did no harm to others. There'd be none of this bullshit about gays and lesbians not being allowed to marry or even adopt or foster children. We are not and never will truly be te land of the free until we actually practice what we preatch. I was born in this country and hae lived here all my life but recent events in the news have made me feel ashamed sometimes to call myself an American.
Incredible. That kid is wise beyond his years, and no doubt very brave. I'm glad we have free thinkers of such a young age in this country. That definitely brings hope for the future.
A child doesn't stand up for a pledge and it's a news story? Sounds more like North Korea than a civilised country.
I agree amazing kid!!!
I look at the things america does every day politically, economically, and justice wise. I've been learning a lot about other countries, religions, and cultures my whole life, its a passion of mine. And, if there is a land of the free, America damn sure isn't it. They have more freedom in some countries still being run by monarchists. America gives me no reason to be proud of it these days. Proud of what, the way we stormed in to the arab world when it had nothing to do with anything that involved us? Proud of what, that there is supposed to be a separation if church and state but christian belieffs still dictate every day life for some people? Proud of what, that we'd rather fund isreal to commit acts of zionism then to get our own homeless people off the streets? America has gone to hell. And, its a damn shame most americans don't give a damn what goes on outside the walls of their own homes. Not accusing any of you of these types of behaviors, but undoubtedly it is becoming increasingly popular amongst americans to behave as such. This little boy, i wouldn't call him a hero, but, its still encouraging to see. Most children of his generation couldn't care less about any of this stuff if it didn't compromise their xbox playing or the functionality of their ipods. So, in short, he's 10 years old, with an open mind, that, in itself, is a rarity in this country.
I agree kayla.
Herein lies the irony:
You can talk about it, and in fact your most avid opponent who is truly American, would fight for your right to say all this.
America's history, like the history of many countries, is full of a lot of really dark stuff. More concentrated, perhaps, because we've only been around for a few hundred years.
But the Constitution, and the systems we have, are nothing if not polymorphic. Polymorphic simply means can change shape. In programming it means the new derivation can retool / refit to match the environment.
When you look at who we are, with all our flaws (which are many), you find a system flexible enough to adapt to changing ideals and values. Yes, our constitution had a horrific 3/5 clause, rendering a black person 3/5 of a white. Yes, the original laws only allowed property-owning white males to vote. Not all white males, not even most white males, no matter what the feminists will tell you: Property-owning white males only.
But that was just the beginning. We've changed, our society has changed, we've developed.
I'm not saying I'm some sort of jingoist, and I of all people am often jaded and disgruntled by a lot of things in this country. But it's not the nation: it's the system or the person in question that's usually the problem.
Now, we're at a crossroads again, and we're being tested again as a people: Will we provide the same freedoms and rights to gay people as we do everyone else? We passed the test with black people, but that was a much larger population.
But as someone said, not every group is mentioned in the Pledge of Allegiance. It doesn't mention white, black, blind, man, woman, gay, straight or anyone else. Nor does anybody else's pledge, by the way.
I at least sympathize with the gay people I do know: They're at a time when many of us accept them as people / don't look on them as second class, but they are still subjected to terrorism (what some cutesies call 'hate crimes') by cowards who single them out because they're a small group and easy pickings. They're nearer than they've ever been (in a majority of nations worldwide) to getting legal acceptance for their relationships, but near isn't close enough: just ask one or a few of them. That's gotta be extremely tough.
But not standing for the pledge of allegiance won't prevent someone from terrorizing them, and it won't bring them closer to being sanctioned, the way we should be doing as a civilized society.
Before I joined the Coast Guard, the Pledge was really nothing more to me than a public or school formality, you put the hand over the heart, stand up straight, say the words, something maybe steeped in tradition. But I see it now as a challenge. A challenge for us to do better.
The pledge itself has polymorphed several times, the latest being the addition of the 'under God' phrase in the 1950s. No doubt it will polymorph yet again.
I will say this: it's more honest and far less insulting if someone sits it out when they don't mean it, rather than to simply say words to fit in.
Pledge or no pledge, I definitely think we can do better. If I thought we couldn't, that we were incapable of it, then I would probably feel the way some of you do about America. As I said, I'm no Jingoist: just ask any right-wing - or left-wing for that matter, - friend of mine. But for whatever reason, we do have a system that's working pretty well, based more on Greek republics than the European societies based on Roman law. I'm not interested in who's better than who, just in us doing the best we can with what we've got.
To: ThaCake Those were excellent points. I think you'll enjoy my essay, Don't Call me an American. I'll see if i can bring it up again here for you to read it. Feel free to add me to Facebook if you're on there. I think you'll like what I have to say about alot of things. *smile*
To LeoGuardian: This is why I support mandatory military service or at least other ways of serving your country. It provides a sense of patriotism, togetherness and loyalty that few other things can. And it provides a real boost to those who wish to leave the country to do so. lol I know I would join the Hellenic military in a heartbeat if I could.
I'd join the IRA. LOL. Since a good part of my herritage is Irish from my dad's mother's side that's what I think of myself as rather than an American. Until we truly are the land of the free, meanig we can truly live and let live and not persecute each other over the stupiest things, you won't catch me being all tat patriotic towards America. Heck, I don't even think I'll be voting. I've long ago stopped feeling it really makes a difference. As for this kid refusing to stand for the Pledge, more power to him and any others like him.
I did not stand for the pledge in high school because of my religious beliefs. I am a supporter of the Jehovah's Witness faith, and I believe that while I should respect those in authority and follow the laws unless they violate the commandments outlined in the Bible, I cannot pledge to a government that does not entirely do God's will. My loyalty is to God and his government before it will be to man.
I could completely understand the possibility that he's a stubborn kid if he didn't clearly explain his reasons for refusing to stand. But it wasn't like he was just trying to defy authority. He had a reason for it. having said that, he and his family really shouldn't be getting bent out of shape about the negative responses, especially given that most southern states are extremely conservative. As I learned in law class, civil disobedience is, without a doubt, very admirable if you have a noble cause and solid points to back it up. however, it also comes with a price. Just because your intentions are admirable doesn't mean you're exempt from the strong criticism that comes with it.
This is brilliant. One may call it stubbornness, but he's standing up for his beliefs, and at such a young and vulnerable age. if there's one thing I can't stand, it's injustice. You don't have to agree with someone to be just, and respectful. I do not agree with homosexuality; I didn't even before I ever joined a church. That said, gay, bisexual, lesbians and transgenders are human beings. Their beliefs and actions do not make them any less so, and I have absolutely no problem associating and even being good friends with them. I believe whole-heartedly that their beliefs should be respected, and that they should be afforded the same rites as everyone. This whole problem people have with gays is petty, immature and deeply sickening, just as it was when the part of gay people was being played by women and blacks. The fact this is even still an issue is just one reason our species has a lot of growing up to do.
And good for his church for being so supportive. That's wonderful to see.
I do have to agree that it's good to see his church supporting him. No matter what their reasoning for this, it's refreshing to see there's a church who isn't so against gay rights that they can't support a very brave kid for speaking out about them.
Agreed. And I certainly don't buy the crap I've heard from some people about how AIDS is god's punishment to gays for their lifestyle. If that was really true he could have made it so that straight people couldn't get the disease. And I was thinking about this issue and about how someone I consider a friend and do respect and therefore will not name, is against gay rights for religious reasons. But I got to thinking about how she went on and on about how homosexuality is a sin. But in the Bible it states that lying is also a sin. Is that not one of the ten commandments? Yet you'd rather homosexuals lie and live straight lives. So they're screwed whether they do or don't.
Well, gay rights weren't the only rights he was supporting. He wanted there to be equality and justice for everyone, including gays yes, but maybe his church chose to turn a blind eye to that fact, and focused on the fact his refusal to stand would be helpful to other minority groups? Maybe I'm being overly cynical, and I hope I'm wrong, but you never know.
I do still stand by what I originally said, that kid was brave, especially in a society which seems intent on using whatever means necessary to siphon the individuality out of everyone at as young an age as possible. I hope that he doesn't look back on what he did a few years from now with regret as he becomes more conscious of the expectations that are placed on us if we want to be respected. Basically, do what you're told without asking questions, because those who are older and wiser than you said so. At 10 years old, I highly doubt he could understand the magnetude of consequences that can befall those who dare to voice their opinion. In fact, it was probably his youth that saved him. While he took an admirable stand, most people probably really didn't take him seriously (despite what I said in my last post, I've definitely changed my perspective on such things in the past few years.) It was probably looked at as a "phase" and he would outgrow it and become normal. However, he showed dedication and perseverance, and those traits definitely will carry you a long way. But, take it from someone who rebelled on much smaller matters, things I thought were important at the time, so important, in fact, that I believed that integrity actually meant something, and got told things like I'm nobody, I'm unprofessional (even though this occurred when I was in high school, and yes, it was teachers who said these things), and other stuff I won't go into here. Suffice it to say that I learned a thing or two about speaking out and how unacceptable it truly is in the eyes of others. I agree, in short, with the person who said that while this kid's intentions were honorable, he cannot, will not, truly change the world.
No, but he has certainly made his mark. Things like these are what give me hope for future generations, and I know I'm not the only one.
That much I can agree with. If no one even got the ball rolling, the thought wouldn't be planted in anyone's minds. Or, if it was, they might not go as far as this kid did because it had never been done before. Just the fact that he had the balls to do it will make it ok in some people's minds.
Agreed. That's why I and some other's I've talked to, some of them even opponents, see same sex marriage being legal everywhere in this country within ten years or so. And I, for one, can't wait for that day. If I ever have children I want them to be able to marry the person they love regardless of whether or not it's a same sex union. And as for te churches and religious folks that have problems with it, continue holding onto your beliefs if you must but don't interfere with the lives of others.