Dr. Kent and Mystery of The Pledge

I took reader Patrick Meighan’s suggestion to reach out to Dr. Kelly Kent’s School Board campaign and asked for an informal, face-to-face meeting.

She and I met outside at Tanner’s on Sepulveda last Thursday, a little after 11. After congenial chitchat, there came an uneasy pause.

I took the initiative and asked her the pertinent question that had led to our meeting: Why doesn’t she say the Pledge of Allegiance?

Her answer was to ask me to tell her about myself.

I emphasized that the only reason we were meeting was for her to simply answer the question; not for me to give her the short-version of my life’s story.

I asked the question again. She persisted by asking me questions about my family.  It was quite obvious she was feigning interest in me. Dr. Kent was trying to turn the tables, interviewing me for information, which she could wield in her answer.

Playing It Coy

She made it quite clear that she was not going to answer the question until I had given her what she wanted, some personal information.

Frustrated, I thought about ending our meeting right then and there, walking away because of her lack of cooperation.

I could leave without understanding her reasoning or playing her childish game.

Life and Times of George Laase

I decided to play along in hopes of at least getting an answer I could understand. I am sure I bored her with my unrehearsed performance of my life’s story. Unlike her own previous evasions of my question, I answered all of hers.

Now We’re Getting Somewhere

To shorten this account, after awhile, she had gathered enough fodder she could use because she finally said that she thought that our Pledge of Allegiance was “not inclusive enough.” She also said that she thought there should be a serious discussion about changing it and making it “more inclusive.”

Like Pulling Teeth

Finally, I got some kind of answer! When I started to ask about what she meant, and how she would change it, she tapped herself on the wrist and said that it was time and that she had to leave.

Yeah, Right

I asked her when we could continue our discussion. She said that we could talk any time after the election.

So there I was left, feeling uniformed, still not understanding why she didn’t say The Pledge. I was stuck with a short, unexplained answer.

Wouldn’t it have been much easier for her to start a local community discussion on changing our nation’s Pledge of Allegiance, had she simply addressed the question when it was raised earlier at the start of her campaign, rather than waiting until five days before the election?

I guess we will have to talk about it after Election Day.

Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com