Do not, repeat do not, tell me how patriotic you are because you wave a flag. Do not tell me how patriotic you are if you wave a flag, but care for it incorrectly.
I had a fire chief who was a terrible stickler for these items, but he was right on more than one occasion. First, unless lit a flag should not fly overnight. IT should also be lowered during inclement weather.
This is a huge pet peeve of mine as I see flags flying regularly in awful thunder and wind storms. The flag ends up tattered and torn which is also inappropriate.
The flag should not be stepped on, fall to the ground, or be used as advertising, clothing,or used to carry other objects. There are more items codified in Title 4 of the United States Code which I will allow you to read, but the next time you see the flag used as an ornament, keep in mind that its use may come from ignorance, but it may come because an adveriser is more interested in your dollars than respect for the flag they fly.
As a history lesson, it was 14 June 1885 that Bernard Cigrand, a teacher at Stony Hill School, placed a 10 inch flag on his desk and then assigned essays on the flag and its significance. (For those who are interested, you should remember the flaf then had thirty-eight starts on it as we had not yet created fifty states.)
This assignment commemorated Congresses adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. This observance was also the beginning of Cigrand’s long years of fervent and devoted effort to bring about national recognition and observance of Flag Day. Cigrand was able after years of effort to get a nation observance of Flag Day when President Wilson, on May 30, 1916, issued a proclamation calling for a nation wide observance of Flag Day.
A few items for the day to remember.
First, don't use the flag to proclaim your patriotism. If you revere the flag do so, but do so correctly.
Two, realize that a lowly school teacher created this holiday. He likely did it not of luck, but by persevearance and there is a lesson for all of us that is we are on the right side of an issue, even the simplest of us can create a national holiday.
In the meantime, enjoy your Saturday and enjoy Flag Day. Go find a ballpark to enjoy a hot dog and salute proudly when the colors fly.
No comments:
Post a Comment