The other day, I heard about a news story I was hardly expecting. Rocori High School had staged a successful protest against a potential ban for flags on student cars. The debate over symbols had come here to central Minnesota. Taking all of the circumstances involved and what we’ve seen around the country, the students at Rocori did a fantastic job and showed just how powerful peaceful protest can be.
So what happened? When they returned from summer break on Sept. 5, students were informed flags on cars in the parking lot would no longer be allowed. While the policy seems to have been targeted against confederate flags displayed by some students in the parking lot in previous years, many felt it was too broad.
Taking things into their own hands, a large number of students drove their vehicles to school the next day touting one or several American flags. The point was made, and school administrators agreed to allow vehicles to display the American flag only. It will now also be students’ jobs to watch the parking lot for prohibited items like the confederate flag. A group of high-school students made a peaceful protest and won.
To me, this is a very encouraging sign. During the last year, we have seen large levels of political violence, with those disagreeing with each other, believing they have no choice but to attack those they are at odds with. The great traditions of democracy, debate and compromise the United States was built upon seem to be under threat. Though we’ve had huge disagreements in this country before, the prevalence of mass-communications technology and social media has expanded and intensified debates in new ways.
The First Amendment is first for a reason. The Founding Fathers knew to have a successful democracy people needed to be able to discuss and debate issues. People could put in their two cents, but in an open market of ideas, those two cents would have to stand up with facts and evidence against other people’s ideas. This is how many of the great achievements of American progress have come about.
The students of Rocori High School have shown us what the Founding Fathers believed in. An active and engaged citizenry is ready to defend its rights and talk about why they are important. They translated what is taught in history and civics classes into real-world action. Through their words and actions, they defended their right to free expression and also committed to promoting an environment for all students.
Isn’t that just what the American flag and the Constitution are all about? Our flag is a symbol of our collective history as a nation, the ideal we strive for – freedom and liberty – but achieved at the cost of great sacrifice. The Constitution puts these ideas into words, with its Bill of Rights protecting our freedoms as citizens of this country.
My hat is off to the incredible students of Rocori. Taking responsibility as citizens of our great state and country, they saw something that was wrong and took action against it. Engaging in a compelling and non-violent protest, they showed the school administration and the nation they cared and believed in their right to self-expression – the right to fly an American flag at an American high school. It doesn’t get any more inspiring than that.
Connor Kockler is a Sauk Rapids-Rice High School student. He enjoys writing, politics and news, among other interests.
