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March 13, 2010

Boy lucky to have freedom to not stand for anthem

Kennebec Journal Staff

Recently we attended a girls basketball tournament game in Augusta (Skowhegan vs. Brunswick) to support our team.

As the game was to begin, the announcer said, "All rise, remove your hats for our national anthem." Immediately we all rose with hats in hand and faced our flag -- all, that is, except one boy (approximately 16 or 17 years old) in front of our group.

I leaned forward and reminded him once and then again to stand or at least to remove his hat. The student, as well as the people around him, heard both of the remarks and ignored them. Obviously, he was trying to make some sort of a statement.

I personally feel that he is very fortunate to live in this country under that flag where he can do what he did or what he did not do. I felt much better when I scanned the auditorium and saw my son, his friends, students, players and rest of the audience straight up, hats off and eyes forward. I guess that, too, was a statement in itself.

Harold T. Bigelow

Skowhegan

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