Flag Salute Precedent Set 75 Years Ago

[Sequoia]

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/united-states/barnett-anniversary-20180614/

 

This is about the two young sisters who won in the United States Supreme Court over the Flag Salute on June 14, 1943.  

 

I noticed that it says on our website that they stood respectfully.  This did not mean that they were participating.  Some have felt that standing is participating and is wrong.  We have publications that show that merely standing just shows respect.  

 

Anyway it's been 75 years today. 

Edited June 15, 2018 by JW2017

[Miss Bea]

This issue is rearing it’s ugly head. Again. It’s strange. People can be so ignorant. They have their rights given to them by the laws of the land. We do too...

When  I worked for the clinic, I saw some books on the shelf that were from the society. I’d never seen them before. Regarding the blood issue, I do believe. 

I think it would be nice if teachers were somehow educated to the rights that have been established by the Supreme Court. 

[Sequoia]

6 hours ago, Miss Bea said:

This issue is rearing it’s ugly head. Again. It’s strange. People can be so ignorant. They have their rights given to them by the laws of the land. We do too...

When  I worked for the clinic, I saw some books on the shelf that were from the society. I’d never seen them before. Regarding the blood issue, I do believe. 

I think it would be nice if teachers were somehow educated to the rights that have been established by the Supreme Court. 

Yes

[DLM]

I vividly recall what it was like before this flag salute issue was settled in 1943. I started 1st grade in Lead SD in 1940 and it wasn't so bad that year as it was in 1941 when I was in second grade. That teacher was very patriotic and insisted that we salute the flag every morning. At that young age and my parents just coming in the truth, I don't know that I really knew the whole story of what was happening and the why of it. What I really got from my parents was that JEHOVAH did not want us to bow down to the flag and I being the obedient child that I was taught all my life, I wasn't about to salute it. As a consequence every morning she took me in the coat room and spanked me. But she never succeeded in making me salute. She could have beat me and I would NOT cry--or salute!  I  never told my mom about it cuz dad had told me right off if I was bad and got a spanking at school, I would get another when I got home. When they finally figured out why I didn't want to go to school, Mom went with me to check it out. The teacher said "I will teach her to salute the flag" and she grabbed me, took me to the coat room and gave a hard spanking in front of mom. But I didn't cry or salute! Then my dad got involved and reported it to the school board.

 

That was the end of the spanking but NOT the name calling by my classmates. I was the only witness in the school and the patriotic furor was really rampant. That area in SD was a hotbed of persecution for the witnesses. Several times my mom and the special pioneer sister that studied with her got hauled into the police station and in 1942 at our "Peace Can It Last" convention in Deadwood,SD a mob gathered to break up the assembly. The police quellled that and the brother on the platform said "let's go out and show them we are still here." We all donned the placards and did an information march. Being only 8 yo my placard came clear down to my feet. In the old video of  "The New World Society in Action" there was a little girl about my age with a sandwich sign....almost to her feet! I was baptized at that convention and for a long time, I questioned if that would be a valid baptizm and just to be sure, I was baptized again. As a recent WT. study about young ones getting baptized, it said if one is old enough to know right from wrong, they could be baptized. That was reassuring but I have always felt a strong sense of right and wrong and especially where my worship of Jehovah is concerned. I thought the issue was long ago settled but I guess not.  🙄The book "Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Dawn of the Rights Revolution" strongly shows what went on in those days and howJWs fought for the rights we now have!

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by DLM
to add about the book

[jwhess]

Sr. Dorothy, your story warms my heart and gives us insight into the heart of a little girl.  May all of our children follow your example and show their faith.  I have a 7 year old grand daughter.

[Sequoia]

The other children in Kindergarten when I was five tried to make me put my hand over my heart.  But that was because they thought everyone had to do it.  They didn't understand.  They left me alone after the teacher told them to. In first grade one of the teachers I had said that saluting the flag is so that we can learn the difference between our right hand and our left hand.  I thought to myself;  "I know the difference." 

 

In third grade I was ridiculed regularly by most of the other children in my class for refusing to salute the flag although I stood respectfully.  I did try to explain  my position to the other children.   The teacher didn't help and made things worse, when he said one day, that it isn't worship like some people think it is.  I ended up homeschooled not long after that, but not because of the flag salute issue.

Edited June 19, 2018 by JW2017

[Omoyeme]

My earliest memory of this issue was in first grade.  My mother wrote a letter to my teacher explaining our beliefs in relation to the flag salute.  My instructor didn't give me any problems that I can remember.

[jwhess]

My elementary education was done in Canada in the 1950's.  We didn't have a 'flag-salute' at the time. So no problem.

[GrumpysWife]

I got beat up many times for refusing to salute the flag in the 40's.

[Sharon]

On 6/19/2018 at 3:05 PM, DLM said:

I vividly recall what it was like before this flag salute issue was settled in 1943. I started 1st grade in Lead SD in 1940 and it wasn't so bad that year as it was in 1941 when I was in second grade. That teacher was very patriotic and insisted that we salute the flag every morning. At that young age and my parents just coming in the truth, I don't know that I really knew the whole story of what was happening and the why of it. What I really got from my parents was that JEHOVAH did not want us to bow down to the flag and I being the obedient child that I was taught all my life, I wasn't about to salute it. As a consequence every morning she took me in the coat room and spanked me. But she never succeeded in making me salute. She could have beat me and I would NOT cry--or salute!  I  never told my mom about it cuz dad had told me right off if I was bad and got a spanking at school, I would get another when I got home. When they finally figured out why I didn't want to go to school, Mom went with me to check it out. The teacher said "I will teach her to salute the flag" and she grabbed me, took me to the coat room and gave a hard spanking in front of mom. But I didn't cry or salute! Then my dad got involved and reported it to the school board.

 

That was the end of the spanking but NOT the name calling by my classmates. I was the only witness in the school and the patriotic furor was really rampant. That area in SD was a hotbed of persecution for the witnesses. Several times my mom and the special pioneer sister that studied with her got hauled into the police station and in 1942 at our "Peace Can It Last" convention in Deadwood,SD a mob gathered to break up the assembly. The police quellled that and the brother on the platform said "let's go out and show them we are still here." We all donned the placards and did an information march. Being only 8 yo my placard came clear down to my feet. In the old video of  "The New World Society in Action" there was a little girl about my age with a sandwich sign....almost to her feet! I was baptized at that convention and for a long time, I questioned if that would be a valid baptizm and just to be sure, I was baptized again. As a recent WT. study about young ones getting baptized, it said if one is old enough to know right from wrong, they could be baptized. That was reassuring but I have always felt a strong sense of right and wrong and especially where my worship of Jehovah is concerned. I thought the issue was long ago settled but I guess not.  🙄The book "Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Dawn of the Rights Revolution" strongly shows what went on in those days and howJWs fought for the rights we now have!

 

Wow sis you were very strong...an amazing account...thank you