RantCrush Top 5: March 1, 2017

Twenty-two-year-old Rebecca White is an elected member of the local government in Hartford, Vermont, and is under fire from local Christians for not saying all of the words of the Pledge of Allegiance at meetings. White stands up with her hand on her heart and says everything, except for the “under God” part. Since this is a country of religious freedom, and White doesn’t stop anyone else from saying the words, it’s hard to see why this would cause conflict. But people have been criticizing her online, calling her a “disgusting” person who should be “ashamed.”

Fifty-year-old veteran Lannie Collins said, “I was very offended.” Collins believes that if you don’t say it, it’s disrespectful to Americans who died at war. But White, who was raised as a Buddhist and now sees herself as an atheist, said, “It makes me uncomfortable because of a religious belief. It’s not because I don’t value the contribution made by veterans and folks in the armed forces.”

An Atheist Elected Official in Vermont Is Being Criticized for Not Saying the Pledge of Allegiance https://t.co/RuBtfoeSxO pic.twitter.com/sd4cwpkORB

— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) February 27, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.