Happy Flag Day 

There are things—historical facts—overlooked by the dusty books of American History that even I didn’t know about Flag Day. 

A teacher from a small town in Wisconsin asked his students to draft an essay of what they saw in the American flag back in 1885. After that it took two Presidential orders from Woodrow Wilson and Harry S Truman to make it something of an observance, though for many, it’s overlooked. 

Like many who went to elementary school, the notion that Betsy Ross designed and created the first “Old Glory,” is a great American myth. Francis Hopkinson, one of the delegates of the First Continental Congress was actually the person responsible. 

Flag Day is as much about we view our country and ourselves than about a piece of cloth stitched together to form our national symbol. After all, all flags around the world are symbols of each country’s national pride. We Americans have a different view, as I’m sure those citizens there view our flag for good or ill. 

For me, I grew up pledging allegiance to the flag. Every person in this country has done so. Our Constitution doesn’t mention that in their articles, yet it is one of many things in our collective nationalism that we adhere to because it’s expected of our citizenry to honor our symbol that represents so much to so many. 

Being a veteran and older and wiser, I have a view of our flag that might differ from others. When I see that flag, I remember those who fought and died for what it represented, a choice of freedom or despotism when we had to fight for democracy in two horrific world wars in the twentieth century.  

I also remembered how we had to fight to save the union from forces of slavery and what they thought was the right path for our country. The move westward that for right or wrong gave us the land needed to prosper and grow. 

I remember after 9/11 the destroyed World Trade Center Buildings, turned to rubble and yet our flag somehow still survived, as we all did. Do I need to say more? It’s not nationalism that moves me to look at our flag as it’s being raised that I salute it with pride, but the honor I have of serving this country because it’s my patriotic duty to do so.