You’re a Grand Old Flag!
Warning – today’s article contains some colorful language some may find offensive!
Red, White, Blue! Old Glory! The Stars and Stripes! The Star-Spangled Banner!
What we call it matters not so much as what it means – the great banner of the United States represents freedom, liberty, truth and justice. Yes, regardless what some suggest, our flag was intended to and still does stand as an ensign to the nations of the world that the United States is the land of the free and the home of the brave.
“You’re a grand old flag, you’re a high-flying flag, and forever in peace may you wave. You’re the emblem of the land I love, the home of the free and the brave. Ev’ry heart beats true under red, white and blue, where there’s never a boast or brag. But should old acquaintance be forgot, keep your eye on the grand old flag!”
The stars, white in a field of blue, signify a new constellation for the world to look toward and follow. Of course, the number of stars has changed over time, representing the number of states comprising the union of states. Starting with 13, the flag today proudly waves with 50 stars. The red and white stripes demonstrate the separation of the new nation (white) from the old mother country (red). The flag’s three colors also denote virtues often lost or overlooked today – white signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; blue, vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Nothing about the Star-Spangled Banner does not represent traditional, honorable virtues and values.
Old Glory has taken some hits lately. Some kneel rather than salute and perhaps refuse to even acknowledge its significance; others claim it signifies oppression and pain; many have just plain forgotten its importance; while a few take joy even in stomping on and burning it.
Truth be told, some bad actors from many different backgrounds, ideologies and even religions, have stood behind, and continue to stand behind, our flag in order to justify their hatred and bigotry. These people should be condemned in no uncertain terms. Joverity condemns any and all oppression inflicted in the name of freedom or under the banner of Old Glory.
But, those people are few and far between and we should give them no credence other than to shun them and speak out about how they do not represent the majority of freedom lovers. The majority of citizens of the United States see and love the Stars and Stripes for what it was intended – a reminder of liberty and justice for all.
Because today is Flag Day, let’s celebrate our flag. If you have a flag, fly it high and proud today, and perhaps every day from now until Independence Day, and beyond. Black and white, native and immigrant, straight and gay, Democrat and Republican, rural and urban, we all should love and honor our flag because it reminds us of the amazing nation in which we reside and of which we are citizens.
As long as the Stars and Stripes flies high, we have hope.
Today, let’s help hope fly proudly. Rather than fight, argue, dispute, whine, complain, [insert your favorite verb here] about each other, let’s celebrate that we live in a land of freedom, represented by the beautiful colors of red, white and blue.
Red, White, Blue! Old Glory! The Stars and Stripes! The Star-Spangled Banner!
You are, indeed, a Grand Old Flag!
