thedrifter
06-14-08, 05:36 AM
Pride and passion for the U.S. flag still thrives
June 14, 2008 6:00 AM
A few days ago, Dominican-born baseball star David Ortiz joined more than 200 other immigrants from 57 countries in a ceremony to take the Oath of Citizenship to become an American.
What we noticed is that the legendary home run slugger for the Boston Red Sox went to this emotional ceremony carrying a small American flag. As a newly sworn in citizen, Ortiz understood the symbolic promise and allure of the flag as well as any native-born American.
Today is Flag Day, an often forgotten appreciation of the American spirit that has been caught between the more celebrated holidays of Memorial Day and July 4.
The date commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened by resolution of the Second Continental Congress on this day in 1777. That the resolution passed even before the United States became united says volumes about the symbolism then and now of the flag.
The red, white and blue flag today consists of 13 stripes representing the 13 original colonies that began their rebellion against the British in 1775. Since 1960 with the addition of Alaska and Hawaii to the United States, the 50 states are represented by 50 stars.
What the most recognized flag in the world represents to individual Americans covers the widest range of patriotic emotions and raises profound questions of the ideals embodied by the stars and stripes.
The flag represents those who would end what they perceive to be a terrible and misguided war in Iraq — and it represents those who believe the war is just and necessary in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The flag also represents those who bravely served and fell in battle — and those who represent the country overseas as civilians sharing the best of American values with the Peace Corps or as part of non-governmental organization trying to make the world a better place.
It represents President Bush and the newest born or sworn in citizen equally — because as the Constitution tells us, we are all equal under the law.
In many ways, today is no different than any other day because Americans proudly fly and display their flags on a regular basis far more than citizens in any other country. Today is also not that different because we debate, often ferociously what the flag means — and by extension what it means to be an American.
We are protective of the American flag to a remarkable degree. There are rules for flying and for disposing. And when one group of Americans support burning constitutional amendments to protect what they see as a defiling of a national symbol of pride and honor, another group of equally principled Americans step up and argue that the flag represents free speech and other pillars of our Constitution as much as it does cloth which can become a vehicle of free and sometimes uncomfortable expression.
The five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising the flag while under enemy fire at Iwo Jima in 1945 remains one of the iconic flag images of our time. But hidden slightly away is an equally powerful image from 1975 — when a flag-carrying protester in Boston stabbed a man with a flag pole during the crisis over the desegregation of Boston's public schools.
When we fly the flag today, it's important to remember that never has a country's flag with such seemingly clear symbols been filled with so much hope, promise and interpretation. But that's not surprising — if that wasn't the case, Old Glory wouldn't be that special.
Ellie
June 14, 2008 6:00 AM
A few days ago, Dominican-born baseball star David Ortiz joined more than 200 other immigrants from 57 countries in a ceremony to take the Oath of Citizenship to become an American.
What we noticed is that the legendary home run slugger for the Boston Red Sox went to this emotional ceremony carrying a small American flag. As a newly sworn in citizen, Ortiz understood the symbolic promise and allure of the flag as well as any native-born American.
Today is Flag Day, an often forgotten appreciation of the American spirit that has been caught between the more celebrated holidays of Memorial Day and July 4.
The date commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened by resolution of the Second Continental Congress on this day in 1777. That the resolution passed even before the United States became united says volumes about the symbolism then and now of the flag.
The red, white and blue flag today consists of 13 stripes representing the 13 original colonies that began their rebellion against the British in 1775. Since 1960 with the addition of Alaska and Hawaii to the United States, the 50 states are represented by 50 stars.
What the most recognized flag in the world represents to individual Americans covers the widest range of patriotic emotions and raises profound questions of the ideals embodied by the stars and stripes.
The flag represents those who would end what they perceive to be a terrible and misguided war in Iraq — and it represents those who believe the war is just and necessary in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The flag also represents those who bravely served and fell in battle — and those who represent the country overseas as civilians sharing the best of American values with the Peace Corps or as part of non-governmental organization trying to make the world a better place.
It represents President Bush and the newest born or sworn in citizen equally — because as the Constitution tells us, we are all equal under the law.
In many ways, today is no different than any other day because Americans proudly fly and display their flags on a regular basis far more than citizens in any other country. Today is also not that different because we debate, often ferociously what the flag means — and by extension what it means to be an American.
We are protective of the American flag to a remarkable degree. There are rules for flying and for disposing. And when one group of Americans support burning constitutional amendments to protect what they see as a defiling of a national symbol of pride and honor, another group of equally principled Americans step up and argue that the flag represents free speech and other pillars of our Constitution as much as it does cloth which can become a vehicle of free and sometimes uncomfortable expression.
The five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising the flag while under enemy fire at Iwo Jima in 1945 remains one of the iconic flag images of our time. But hidden slightly away is an equally powerful image from 1975 — when a flag-carrying protester in Boston stabbed a man with a flag pole during the crisis over the desegregation of Boston's public schools.
When we fly the flag today, it's important to remember that never has a country's flag with such seemingly clear symbols been filled with so much hope, promise and interpretation. But that's not surprising — if that wasn't the case, Old Glory wouldn't be that special.
Ellie