On Friday Nov. 3, the Associated Student Government (ASG) for the first time conducted their meeting without performing the Pledge of Allegiance after voting it removed from their normal meeting’s agenda.

Although this may seem like a minor matter, here at the Telescope we find it disturbing that the students elected to represent us have decided that they wish to show no allegiance to the nation that provides them the freedom to gather and govern our school.

The ASG has cited the presence of international students on campus, and on their board as one reason for removing the Pledge from their meetings. It would make much more sense to simply not require citizens of other nations not to participate. In fact, the Pledge of Allegiance was in part created to incorporate immigrants to the United States. Not to strip culture or forget history but to welcome them into the meteor of this country.

The other reason the ASG presents for the removal is that when the members of their board are sworn into office, they do not swear directly to the U.S. Constitution, only the constitution of the ASG.

However, being a college that is both state and federally funded, all rules and procedures enacted at Palomar must not contradict or infringe on any laws including the Constitution, this includes the bylaws of the ASG Constitution. One must ask why the ASG would even want to distance themselves from the manuscript that lays down the basic rights we have as Americans.

The removal of the Pledge of Allegiance also seems ironic since the ASG refuses to align itself with the Republic that it models itself after. The ASG wishes to reflect a system of government that they do not even wish to respect.

Beyond the Republic, refusing the Pledge is blatant disrespect to those served to protect our right to education. Palomar has over 1,600 veterans on campus, more than any other college in the state, and refusing to perform the Pledge of Allegiance shows a lack of gratitude to our own classmates, as well as veterans everywhere.

The ASG’s primary allegiance should always be to the students of Palomar no matter their creed, color, or nationality, and we don’t doubt the ASG’s commitment to this campus. But the ASG should not disregard or disrespect the greater society that our students are a part of.

After all, an education is designed to make one a more well rounded citizen and ignoring the Pledge of Allegiance contradicts that very intention.

You don’t have to agree with those currently in power in our country to still perform the Pledge. It is not a pledge to the president, but a pledge to the flag.

While simply removing the Pledge of Allegiance from the list of tasks performed at every meeting of our student government seems like a minor detail to worry about, it is a sign of a poor mentality within the leaders on our campus, and general negligence to the greater world that surrounds our campus.