By Isaac Mintz
Spectrum
West Bloomfield HS
1st Place Division 1, News Writing
Bylined Opinion Article
JUDGING CRITERIA
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Wins reader interest with aimpelling lead that urges action
- Presents evidence/interpretation in logical sequence
- States issue; uses effective examples, facts and comparisons to clarify
- Deals with specific issue; avoids preaching, rhetoric and cliches
- Shows sufficient thought and knowledge of subject, developed with personal style
- Proposes solution where appropriate
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar
It’s hard for me. It’s hard for me to recite the Pledge of Allegiance because I recognize there are individuals protesting the very act I am performing. I’ve been standing up since its introduction to me as a kindergartener, and, at the same time, I respect the choice these individuals make to remain seated. Currently a senior, I transferred to WBHS as a junior. My previous school, a small Jewish school, did not say the Pledge of Allegiance. Yet, the custom is ingrained in my DNA. The words came back to me like I had written them on the back of my hand in Sharpie, and they just haven’t rubbed off. When I push back my chair to stand for the Pledge, tucked in the corner of the room, there exists (not ig-nored, but not addressed) a divide between those who stand and those who remained seated for the Pledge. There are individuals who want to respect their traditions, and those who recognize the flaws of an institution (and those who remain ambivalent). As sharecroppers slaved away in rural America, my Eastern Euro-pean ancestors looked to America as a beacon of safety and freedom — a new beginning. My Jewish ancestors faced the Pogroms, “or-ganized massacres of a particular ethnic group, in particular that of Jews in Russia or eastern Europe.” Quite a paradox — while some seeked to escape America, others looked to America as a safe-haven. My ancestors literally crossed an ocean for me. They gave me a future for which I am forever indebted. The American Dream proved true for my family: my great-grandfather drove a bus for over 80 hours a week to provide for my Zaydie (grandpa in Yidish) and his family. This work ethic was passed down to my Zaydie, who put himself through University by selling doughnuts out of his trunk on the weekends. I don’t have to worry if there will be food on the table for dinner. I’m grateful my parents provide meals for my sister and I each day.
I use my current position to give back to the community by volun-teering and recently running a food drive for Gleaners Food Bank. I’d like to think the story of my ances-tors taught me the importance of helping those in need. At the same time, I recognize that each person has a different story, and I must honor that. To me, saying the Pledge is honoring an opportunity that was provided to my ancestors. Everyone’s story is different, and each story has its own unique lens; these lenses have been crafted for generations and will remain in perpetuity, thus will never cease to exist.