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Dissent on the court
Manhattanville basketball player Toni Smith is courageous on
the court and off. She has stood up to 300 flag-waving
midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy who chanted at
her "U-S-A" and "Leave our country." Why the full-court press?
Because Smith has been refusing to salute the flag at the
beginning of the game. She gives a quarter-turn away and looks
at the floor instead. In a written statement, she explained:
"For some time now, the inequalities that are embedded into the
American system have bothered me. As they are becoming
progressively worse and it is clear that the government's
priorities are not on bettering the quality of life for all of
its people, but rather on expanding its own power, I cannot, in
good conscience, salute the flag."
Reprinted from the March 6, 2003, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyrighted
under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
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