Truth to Power

Kudos Will Phillips

I’d have a lot more faith in the future of this country if more kids were like this:

Ten-year-old refuses to recite pledge until gays allowed to marry

Ten-year-old Will Phillips may have just become the new cause célèbre of the gay rights movement.

It all started when he refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance in a West Fork, Arkansas elementary school.

Speaking to CNN’s John Roberts on Monday, Will said he remained seated four straight days while his classmates repeated the words, “with liberty and justice for all.”

“I was analyzing the meanings of it, because I want to be a lawyer,” he said. “… There isn’t really liberty and justice for all. There’s … Gays and lesbians can’t marry. There’s still a lot of racism and sexism in the world. Yeah.”

Eventually, the substitute teacher started giving Will “grief” over his refusal to repeat the words. “What did you say to that teacher?” Roberts asked.

“I eventually, very solemnly – with a little bit of malice in my voice – said, ‘Mam, with all due respect, you can go jump off a bridge,” Will explained. </em>

Excellent! Civil disobedience…and youthful snottiness!


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