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I Am Only a Child; Show Me the Way

Rebecca Blackstone

This is a speech written by 10-year-old Rebecca Blackstone and read by Dr. Dobson on the Jan, 29, 2003, daily broadcast.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America but, according to school policy, only if I want to. How do I know if I want to? I don't really understand what a pledge is and I sure can't tell you what allegiance means! Look at me! I'm just a child; what do I know about making that kind of choice? In order to have the wisdom to decide, first I need to be taught, and sometimes the best teaching is done by example.

The pledge goes on to say, "One Nation, under God." However, we are told, let not one word of prayer be spoken on school grounds. Instead, call for a moment of meditation -- whatever that is. If left on my own, the only thing I have to meditate on is my plan for being the first on the monkey bars at recess.

So, let's see here: I can pledge or pretend to pledge, or not pledge at all. I can pray, or just sit in silence and wonder why. The choice, you say, is mine -- yet, at the very same time, I cannot enter into any sort of binding contract with you because of my age. I am too young to conduct business on my own, even if I have business to conduct. I cannot drive, vote or marry until I come of legal age. But suddenly, out of the blue, I'm old enough to make decisions that could change my entire life, and yours, too.

I need the experience of an adult to teach me. I need their leadership to guide me. Forget the attorneys and the lawsuits; there's a child in desperate need here. How can I draw strength from something you are afraid to teach?

Teach me about this great nation of ours, and about the God our forefathers pledged their allegiance to. Tell me the stories of courage, strength, hope and yes, faith, that created this great Promised Land. Have me learn of the men, women and children who died believing in God for this great cause.

Whatever you have chosen to believe in your adulthood, educate me on the principles of freedom which allowed you to make that choice. Whether you believe or not, train me as you were trained, that there is one God in all and over all. Instruct me now as a child that later I may decide as an adult. Show me not just 15 minutes of devotion following a terrible tragedy, but a lifetime of commitment to a noble cause.

For I am only a child, and as such, certain decisions should be made for me until I can stand on my own. You do this in other areas, without fear of stunting my growth: When it comes to drugs, you tell me exactly what I should decide. Where alcohol is concerned, you are not afraid to tell me what to think. On smoking, your chioice for me is made clear. So why, then, when it comes to pledging allegiance to this great nation under God, am I given such a wide-ranging free will?

Stop harping on what a great county this used to be and start informing us on what made it so strong. I'm not asking you to die in defense of this prayer or pledge; I'm only asking for the knowledge to understand why I may have to someday.

I may be only a child, but this one thing I know for sure: When these enemies come to bomb our school, I want to be found -- unafraid and proud -- pledging allegiance to my country and praying to my God.