I am the Flag
by Ruth Apperson Rous
I am the flag of the United States of
America.
I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.
There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.
My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.
Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.
My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.
My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.
My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.
My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.
I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity.
I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home.
I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth.
I am as old as my nation.
I am a living symbol of my nation's law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
I voice Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people,for the people."
I stand guard over my nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.
I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.
Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.
I have my own law—Public Law 829, "The Flag Code" - which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.
I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.
Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.
I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.
If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.
Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom.
As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are - no more, no less.
Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth.
Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty.
God grant that I may spend eternity in my "land of the free and the home of the brave" and that I shall ever be known as "Old Glory," the flag of the United States of America.
"It's Not Too Late"
He was a gentle man who stood with pride, His body was ebbing like the outgoing tide. His walk was slow, for age took its toll, To live but one season was his goal.
Passing two lads in the park,
He noticed something, though almost dark. There was a cloth on the ground,
A cloth that the boys had recently found. With cold gray eyes he looked their way, Then tears fell as be bowed to pray.
God, give me strength, show me what to do, To teach them respect for the red, white and blue. Mister, why are you crying, what did we do? It's just an old rag that's red, white and blue. That cloth you call just an old rag,
Is Old Glory, our nation's flag.
There's 13 stripes and 50 stars,
Blood was shed for those bars.
Each star represents one great state,
Pick up the flag, it's not too late.
But mister, why are you angry, oh what did we do? It's still just a rag that's red, white and blue. He bent is head and closed his eyes,
Then looked at the boys and said with a sigh, This is your flag, a sight to behold,
A symbol of freedom worth more than gold. Our freedom to speak and think as we choose, For this our ancestors paid their dues.
They fought in wars, and gave their lives, Fever took their children and their wives. These were your families as well as mine, We put their honor on the line.
So our flag can fly for all to see,
Symbolizing freedom for you and me.
Mister, we're so sorry, what can we do?
We'll brush off the dirt from the red, white and blue. And put up a pole here in the park,
Fly her with pride from morn till dark.
The three stood still and silence was strong, The boys knew now why they were wrong.
As they gazed upon that tattered flag,
Their hearts told them this was no rag.
Though dirty and torn, she flew that day, "That's our flag," he heard them say.
Poem written by Pat Odiorne, Brandon, Florida.
Hello! Remember Me?
Some call me Old Glory, others call me the Star Spangled Banner, but whatever they call me, I am your Flag - the Flag of the United States of America. There has been something that has been bothering me, so I thought that I might talk it over with you here today.
I remember some time ago, (I think it was Memorial Day, or was it Veterans' Day?) that people were lined up on both sides of the street for a parade. A high school band was behind me and, naturally, I was leading the parade. When your Daddy saw me coming along waving in the breeze, he immediately removed his hat and placed it so that his right hand was directly over his heart.
And you - I remember you.
Standing there as straight as a soldier, you didn't have any hat, but you were giving me the right salute. Remember, they taught you in school to place your right hand over your heart, and little sister, not to be out done, was saluting the same as you. There were some soldiers home on leave and they were standing at attention giving the military salute. Oh, I was very proud as I came down your street that day.
Now, I may sound as if I am a little conceited, Well I am!
I have a right to be, because I represent you, the people of the United States of America.
But what happened? I am still the same old flag. Oh, I have a couple more stars added since you were a boy. A lot more stars added since the beginning of this country, and and lot more blood shed since that patriotic day so long ago.
Now I don't feel as proud as I used to. When I come down your street, some people just stand there with their hands in their pockets and give me a small glance and then look away. I see children running around and shouting. They don't seem to know who I am.
Is it a sin to be patriotic anymore? Have some people forgotten what I stand for? Have they forgotten all the battlefields where men have fought and died to keep this nation free? When you salute me you are actually saluting them!
Take a look at the memorial rolls some time. Look at the names of those who never came back. Some of them were friends and relatives of yours. That's whom you are saluting, not me!
Well, it won't be long until I'll be coming down your street again. So, when you see me, stand straight, place your hand over your heart and you'll see me waving back-- that's my salute to you. And then I will know you remember who I am...
Author unknown
Lets wake up Americans, respect our symbol of FREEDOM and OUR COUNTRY, the best country in the world. Like it says above, showing respect to our Flag shows respect to all those men and women that died to keep us free.
Ragged Old Flag
I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, "Your old courthouse is kind of run down."
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down.
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"
I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag."
"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing _Oh Say Can You See_.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tugging at its seams."
"And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on through.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag."
"On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam."
"She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land she's been abused --
She's been burned, dishonored, denied and refused."
"And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.
'Cause she's been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more."
"So we raise her up every morning, Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground And we fold her up right.
On second thought I DO like to brag,
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."
Johnny Cash
The Star Spangled Banner
"Oh, say can you see, by the dawns early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'Er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'Er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
This is our pledge to our country. You hear it often. What does it mean?
"I pledge allegiance"~
(I promise to be true)
"to the flag"~
(to the symbol of our country)
"of the United States of America"~
(each state that has joined to make our country)
"and to the Republic"~
(a republic is a country where the people choose others to make laws for them -- the government is for the people)
"for which it stands,"~
(the flag means the country)
"one Nation"~
(a single country)
"under God,"~
(the people believe in a supreme being)
"indivisible,"~
(the country cannot be split into parts)
"with liberty and justice"~
(with freedom and fairness)
"for all."~
(for each person in the country...you and me!)
The pledge says you are promising to be true to the United States of America!
by Red Skelton
The American's Creed
"I believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a Republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union, one and inseparable; established upon those principals of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."
by William Tyler Page
My American Flag
The People of today
just rant and rave.
They burn my symbol of freedom,
I just want to grab and shake them.
They have no sense of pride,
For your beauty you never denied.
Like my brothers before me,
I have fought to keep your colors free.
With every battle that we had won,
you were there to show who was number one. When our brothers had died,
you caressed their bodies with pride.
We have our leaders to thank,
for allowing these people their prank.
To them it may be a cloth of colors,
to me it stands for freedom and honor.
We must ask our leaders to debate,
and change our flags fate.
My American Flag this promise I give,
to hold you high and let you live.
My words to you are profound,
I'll keep your colors off the ground.
I will guard and protect your stars and stripes, with all my power, might and life.
by Dan Solodon
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