“What mighty contests arise from trivial things.” — Alexander Pope

There was a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth in the past week over the news the Grand Valley State University Student Senate voted 21-10 not to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of its meetings. Backlash led to this august body rescinding its decision very quickly.

The story had some peripheral local connections because Martin High School grad Austin Marsman last year served on that Senate and Wayland High School grad Jon Seymour expressed his support for the move on Facebook.

We hear so much these days about the evils of political correctness. Yet it’s hard to find anything in 21^st century America that’s more politically incorrect than not standing for the national anthem or reciting the Pledge.

An old friend of mine about 25 years ago declined to stand to recite the Pledge as a guest at a service club meeting. When he was asked why, he replied, “I’ve already pledged many times and I don’t see why have to do it over and over again.”

That wasn’t a particularly popular answer.

We Americans really are sensitive about our patriotic symbols, especially in public settings. Just ask Colin Kaepernick, the NFL QB who was blacklisted out of his lucrative job for taking a knee during the national anthem as a protest against police violence against black citizens.

So much for the freedom of speech we tout.

We insist that everyone genuflect at the altar of America and patriotism — or else. Those who don’t become social lepers and can even lose their jobs or honors earned. Just ask athletes who raised their hands in protest with the black power salute during the playing of the national anthem in the Olympics.

For me, it’s a question of good manners. Though showing a willingness to stand at attention for the anthem or say the Pledge is getting more tedious all the time because you have to do it twice for baseball games and players who used to gather in the locker room during the anthem are now required to be on the field to show respect.

That smacks of forced patriotism, like holding a gun to someone’s head and demanding they say certain words or perform certain acts. For some, it can be hard to genuinely love the object being worshipped when the fealty is mandatory.

I always say the Pledge when it’s called for in public. I don’t wish to fight with anyone over the issue. Once again, it’s a matter of showing good manners, not of convincing anyone of your loyalty because you may not have any.

But when I say the Pledge, I do not utter the words “Under God.” I am old enough to remember when the two words were not included and I insist on reciting it as it originally was intended.

I stand for the anthem and stare at the flag. But you can’t force me to love a piece of cloth that symbolizes something of much higher value.

When the people of this country show me tolerance of those who feel differently and respect for true freedom of speech, my true love will grow.

Otherwise, I will continue to stand for the anthem, to say the Pledge sans “under God” and try to show respect for traditions and practices that have meaning for others.

It’s a matter of showing good manners. Doing otherwise has consequences in a supposedly free society.