Over Morning Coffee

One year ago, the title of this column was, "The flag is more than a fashion statement." In it, I wrote about the history of our great flag and my concern that it is trivialized when its image is seemingly used everywhere on everyday items. My worry seems trivial now. One year later, we see our glorious flag set on fire, ripped apart, and desecrated in vulgar ways – by American citizens on American soil.

This Fourth of July, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in America. The asphyxiation of George Floyd, a black man at the hands of a corrupt white cop, triggered protests that have been ongoing for over a month. Most of the demonstrations are peaceful, but mob mentality has grabbed hold in several cities. The resulting riots created mayhem and cause tremendous damage to private and public property. Small businesses have been destroyed, and people have been attacked while police are unable to maintain law and order.

Leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement say they intend to destroy everything related to the Confederacy – reminders of the dark days of slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow. However, the path of destruction reaches far beyond memorials to slave owners and their defenders. Rioters have defaced Veterans' War Memorials. They've ruined a monument to a black regiment that fought for the Union. Statues of abolitionists have been torn down. As of this writing, activists are threatening to topple the Emancipation Memorial, a depiction of Lincoln with a thankful freed slave. It was paid for with the wages of freed slaves. All of this leads one to ask if the movement is only aimed at getting rid of memories of the Confederacy, or, have nefarious characters co-opted the Floyd protests in order to erase our history?

When I taught American history – back in the day when teachers could set the curriculum – I assigned James Clavell's 1963 short story, The Children's Story...but not just for children. It's a small book, measuring 4" by 7", with only a few pages written on one side of each page. Even so, it is profound. The first time I read it, I finished and stared into space, deeply touched by how pertinent it was during the Cold War. In light of recent events, I find it even more prophetic.

The Children's Story tells of a second grade classroom the morning after America has been taken over by a communist country. The story begins, "... the teacher was afraid. And the children were afraid. All except Johnny. He watched the classroom door with hate.... It was two minutes to nine."

As the story continues, another teacher – a new, young, and beautiful teacher – enters the room wearing a stylish green uniform. The former teacher, an older woman, is sent away, crying. New Teacher, 19 years old, woos the young children with her charm, caring and candy (which she uses to trick them into questioning the existence of God).

Quickly, the children fall under her spell. Eventually, even Johnny, whose father is away at Camp to unlearn wrong-think, is captivated by her. When New Teacher asks how they start the day, Johnny tells her they say "The Pledge of Allegiance." New Teacher then begins to lead the class in the Pledge, but she interrupts them with questions.

"What does 'pledge' mean?" "What does 'allegiance' mean?" "What did your other teachers tell you this meant?" Nobody knows, so New Teacher explains, and continues. Her questions cause the children to distrust their former teachers and parents. They wonder why none of them ever explained what they were promising to do in the Pledge.

New Teacher turns her attention to the flag, explaining that it is just an unnecessary symbol. "We don't need a sign to remind us that we love our country, do we?" She remarks on the flag's beauty and suggests the children cut it up so each one can have a piece. After the flag is destroyed, only the flagpole remains. New Teacher opens a window, and the children can throw it away.

In the end, the children love New Teacher and eagerly agree with her plan for them to live and sleep at the school. They are happy to hear they will wear uniforms like hers. Clavell writes, "This was what she had been trained for, and she knew that she would teach her children well and that they would grow up to be good citizens. She glanced at her watch. It was 9:23."

James Clavell wrote this book when he discovered his young daughter could recite "The Pledge of Allegiance," but she had no idea what it meant. Looking at the ages of the young people rioting in our streets, I wonder what they've been taught about American history. Seeing how quickly mob rule took over peaceful protests, I also wonder if James Clavell's story might be coming true.

Bonnie Ewoldt, of rural Milford, is a retired teacher, news junkie and freelance writer. Her opinion pieces have appeared online and in newspapers across Iowa and neighboring states. Visit her blog at http://www.bonniesblogbox.wordpress.com.