Here's the deal... about 20 years ago, my relative was helping in an American public school classroom of 2nd graders. There was a boy in the class from Mexico. It was still the tradition for the class to rise, put their hands on their hearts and recite the American pledge of Allegiance. The boy in question, not being an American, refused.

At the time, my relative recalls being deeply upset by this and feeling that the parents taught the child badly... that since he was probably here illegally, taking advantage of all that American tax payers have to offer, the "least he could do" is to say the pledge of allegiance as he was told, and not be disruptive to the class.

I disagreed with her views on this. I feel that while the child should be respectful of this American tradition in his American classroom, it is not appropriate for a non-citizen to participate in this type of outward display of patriotism to our country. IO felt the adults in charge (the teachers) should have asked him to stand silently during the pledge, and rather than making an issue, if questions were asked by other students, they could have just said, "Pablo is a citizen of Mexico, and his allegiance is to his home country, so he will stand with us as our friend, but will not say the words with us. He feels these words about his own country."

I feel that saying the pledge, singing our anthem and putting hands over hearts at the presentation of our flag is the priveledge and responsibility of American citizenship. I feel that citizens of other countries should, as a courtesy, stand when our flag is presented formally, that we should do the same as a courtesy when their flag is presented formally, such as at sporting events. As for the child benefitting from American tax payers, I think that's an entirely different issue, and way over the head of any 7 year old child I've ever met. I also think it's more likely the child's parents wanted him to understand that he's Mexican and be proud of his homeland, than that they wanted him to slight America in any way.

My family think I'm nuts. I think they are totally off in their understanding of etiquette and my guess is that one really shouldn't, technically, say the pledge of allegiance for the flag of a country in which they are not a citizen. Isn't that kind of a lie?

What do you think? (other than that this is a stupid thing to argue about!)

I don't know. If someone is here in our country, legally or illegally (I find it offensive that you're assuming because he's from mexico he's probably illegal by the way. There are a number of legal mexican immigrants and I think its awful that so many ignorant people assume every hispanic person is here illegally), I would rather them be loyal to America than wherever they came from.
Its funny reading this, because just the other day my government class got into a debate over whether it was rude for people not to stand for the flag, sing, pledge, and what not. And someone made a good point. Thousands of men and women have died so that our flag can fly and anyone standing on our soil owes it to those men and women to stand AND pledge. So if this little boy is living here in America benefitting because our men and women died then yes, I think he should have enough respect to say the pledge to the country he is living in. pledging allegiance to America doesn't make him any less Mexican and it doesn't mean he can't be proud to be Mexican.
There's my thoughts on it

I wasn't the one who assumed he was here illegally - my relatives did! I agree with you that this type of assumption is inappropriate. In any event, I dno't think immigration status is relevant... I just thought that only Citizens should say the plege... I thought that was kind of the "rule of etiquette". Does anyone know if this is even addressed in the rules established by our government for the flag?

Well if immigration status is irrelevant then what would be the point of the this question?

The question is - if someone is not an American Citizen, whatever the other circumstances, is it appropriate for them to be expected to say the pledge of allegiance to the American Flag? I don't think the distinction between a legal immigrant who is not a citizen and an illegal immigrant who is not a citizen is relevant to the basic question about whether non-citizens should be pledging their allegiance to our flag, or if they should be resonably expected to do so simply because they live here.

Well I would say yes, I feel that if they're going to live in our country, under our flag, then they should pledge out of respect.

We are a free country. Right or wrong in your eyes, it doesn't matter. But that is why I salute our flag.