Pledge respect

Our message to the MLIRD: reinstate the Pledge of Allegiance

What does reciting the Pledge of Allegiance mean to you?

Is it a blessing or a burden? Do you view it as an opportunity to show respect to our country, to appreciate your freedoms and privileges as Americans and remember our founding fathers? Or is there simply not enough time to fit it all in?

We view the Pledge of Allegiance as taking a few precious moments to appreciate our country and all it has to offer.

For elected officials, stopping to say the Pledge of Allegiance could be a way to stay on track, to remember why they're serving in public office and the free and open election process that got them there.

The Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District recently removed the Pledge of Allegiance from its monthly meetings, at the direction of board President Mick Hansen.

According to a tape recording of the meeting, Hansen said taking time for the Pledge of Allegiance was too time-consuming and meetings were long enough already.

"You were already walking out before the end of them, so it speaks to the length of it," Hansen told fellow board director Ron Covey. Covey had questioned why Hansen eliminated the pledge in the introductory portion of its board meetings.

In response, Covey provided other reasons to Hansen for walking out of the meeting, which weren't related to the Pledge of Allegiance.

We encourage the MLIRD to reinstate the Pledge of Allegiance at its next board meeting. Doing so would help set a respectful tone for the meeting by providing a good example of leadership and patriotism to longtime audience members and guests.

Time is a valuable commodity, but including the pledge is an important investment of time.

Perhaps it would remind everyone we could work together for common purposes and set aside our differences for a greater good.

Most importantly, it is the right thing to do.

- Editorial board