It's a Holiday!

It's Flag Day, just in case you forgot to double check the calendar but unfortunately for our nation (except in Pennsylvania where it's a state holiday) the date is not a popularly recognized holiday.  Even though the Continental Congress passed the First Flag Act on June 14, 1777 with the adoption of the American flag and it's 13 stripes alternating red and white and 13 white stars on a field of blue, the day itself was never declared a national holiday.  President Wilson in 1916 issued a proclamation later signed by President Truman in 1949 that officially made the day actual legislation - it never made the leap as an official national holiday.  It seems there are many ways to look at one of our nation's most historic symbols and if asked of a dozen people, there will be a dozen different answers.  We had an opportunity this past fall to travel across our great country - 2000+ miles to Michigan and back and were able to see, as is always the case, many cities, small towns, rural areas and people.  I made the following observation that seems relevant to today - Flag Day.

"I try to stay off a soap box especially in these days of volatile rhetoric that seems to do little but incite anger and negativity. But while traveling through Colorado recently on a cool and crisp autumn morning at sunrise, my husband and I drove by a large ranch. Every so often was a flagpole with an American flag displayed gently blowing in the early morning breeze. What caught my eye was not the number of flags – there were well over two dozen – but the deplorable condition of them. Every one was tattered, torn, some barely recognizable as the Stars and Stripes and in every case, not one was lit in respect during the nighttime hours. With so much attention these days on everyone’s right to do as they please concerning the flag, I thought I might as well add my voice to the fray.

The idea of flags or banners representing countries or peoples is an age-old one. It was a unifying means of propelling a people forward. During America’s Civil War the flag bearer was an honored position. He was often at the front of his regiment hoisting the regimental flag. The men used this marker not only as a way to keep themselves organized but to move forward in battle, loyal to their regiment. As long as the men could see their flag the soldiers knew the field of battle was theirs. If the flag bearer fell, it was known among the men that they were not only duty bound but also honor bound to pick up the flag and proceed forward into battle. These regimental flags were often tattered, torn, bullet riddled and many eventually displayed with honor once the war had ended. These men knew the sacrifices that made that possible.

The same holds true for the men and women who have served in the military in our time. My family has known many of those men – husband, fathers, brothers, uncles, great-grandfather, and friends. Some did not come home. For each of them we fly our flag everyday, lighted each night, standing when the National Anthem is played with our hands over our hearts. It is not a matter of “have to.” It is a matter of “want to.” We want to be the next standard bearer in our family taking up the flag for the ones who have fallen before us. It is a matter of responsibility, pride, honor, duty and family. Without those things our family and our nation is simply nothing more than a piece of tattered and torn material blowing gently in the early morning breeze of a Colorado sunrise."

Happy Flag Day!  It's a great day in our corner of the world - long may this banner wave.