Please Stand for the Pledge

"Would everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance."
These are words I hear every day.
And every day I watch my classmates stand
and salute a flag that waves for this country
pledging loyalty.
But why should I?
Why should I pledge my allegiance
to a country that does not accept the love I have for another woman?
Why pledge my allegiance
to a country that forgets the lives of my African American friends?
How could I pledge allegiance
to a country that plans to strip me
of my rights and dignity
and shame me of my womanhood.
A country
that plans to make my decisions for me.
A country lead through disrespect, hate, and misogyny.
So, no.
I will not pledge my allegiance.
I will not stand up for this country
until this country learns
to stand up for me.