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I have attended Rotary functions and club meetings where the person leading the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States started by saying “Everyone please join me in the Pledge…” or “Rotarians and guests, the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag”. And as proud citizens of the United States of America, we show our respect for our flag by reciting the Pledge.
However, we must remember that we are Rotary International. And because we are an International organization, we may have visitors present (or even club members) who are not citizens of the United States of America, but are proud citizens of their country. At some of the Rotary meetings and functions that I have attended there have been Rotarians visiting from Belgium, Brazil, Canada and India, and inbound Rotary Youth Exchange students.
When we introduce the Pledge with a statement as in the examples above, we are forgetting that our foreign guests should not be asked to join us in the Pledge. (After all, when we are visiting a foreign nation, we are not expected to express loyalty to their government/nation.) Therefore, when we introduce the Pledge, we need to use words that invite citizens of the United States of America to Pledge. Examples of such introductions are: “My fellow Americans, please join me in the Pledge to our flag…” or “Will all citizens of this great nation join me in the Pledge…” |
