The principal responsible for allowing the translation is Tom Lopez, who says he has received a number of critical comments from parents, most of which “are generated at me at being a poor leader and a poor principal for allowing this un-American activity to occur.” Lopez also said that some of the complaints claim he’s pushing Islam into the schools.
Bob Beckel doesn’t see the problem with it, however. “This is part of a cultural club who has also done the translation in Korean and Chinese,” he pointed out. Dana Perino backed Beckel, supporting the school, as well.
Bolling wasn’t buying their rationale, however, saying, “That’s the same argument they were making [...] in Texas when they were forced to speak Arabic in class.”
via Colorado HS Students Pledge Allegiance to the Flag … in Arabic | Fox News Insider.
Quite frankly, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. As long as the message and meaning behind it remains the same, does the Pledge of Allegiance really lose anything or become “un-American” if recited in a different language? And this also begs the question, would there be such outrage if it were any language but Arabic? Probably not. Given that, as the principal said, they’ve also translated it into Chinese or Korean and there was no negative reaction or coverage.
I don’t see why it’s a controversy for it to be recited in a different language, as long as the translation maintains the same allegiance to the same ideals, flag, etc.
In elementary school back in the day, we had to stand up and recite the Pledge and sing the Star-Spangled Banner every morning. When I first got here and didn’t know a lick of English, I could only move my mouth to act like I was saying/singing something and just mimicked what the other students were doing placing their hands on their chests. But at least at that time, it meant nothing to me because at that time, I didn’t understand any word of it – which kind of defeats the point.
And at my naturalization ceremony, for those few who weren’t necessarily able to recite the whole Pledge of Allegiance and Oath of Citizenship or comprehend every bit of it were allowed to have family translating next to them for their benefit – the point of that being so that they understand the meaning behind each word, no matter how elementary or advanced their English speaking ability was.
As long as it’s the same message, does it really matter what language it’s in? I guess to some people, it does, but unfortunately for no other reason than paranoid nativism.
If they were translating the pledge into any language other than Arabic, it probably wouldn’t get a single minute of news coverage much less a whole panel on Fox News. After watching the clip of the Fox News talking heads discussing it (you’ll have to view it on the link above – I was unable to find a share or embed code), I’m actually more disgusted at these panelists because it only took them 2 minutes to degenerate into talk about having people put on burqas. Completely unrelated to anything but stereotype. It’s proof that MSNBC isn’t the only media outlet that can sensationalize. It can and does happen on the right wing, too.
By the way, “Allah” is merely the Arabic word for “God.” It’s essentially the same exact word. Thus, there is no alteration of the Pledge present. Quit freaking out over the incursion of Islam upon America that is not happening at all.
