June 14 2009 To Respect Its Flag

Today marked the 132nd Flag Day. *insert cheers from the crowd* Upon this day in 1877 our most recognized national symbol was endowed with its own celebration. Break out the flag and practice your flag folding. Make sure the kids know the real words to the Pledge of Allegiance, so that it is not "under God invisible" or other misunderstanding of the poetic inversions. Make sure you know the real words. Sing the National Anthem and omit the "Play Ball" and cheering at the end, and remember who Francis Scott Key was, and refresh your memory of the War of 1812. Learn how to fold an 8 1/2" by 10" sheet of paper so that with one cut you have a perfect five-point star, courtesy of Betsy Ross. Pick your favorite American Flag in history, and talk with someone about why it is so.

It's not fireworks or barbecues, and it's not a day off school and work. Flag day gets easily overlooked and therefore you can find flags in the rain, tattered flags flying, flags on diapers. People don't know what the symbol is for anymore. We recognize it every day of our lives, criticize people who don't cover their hearts or remove their hats during a recitation of our pledge. Have we forgotten that our country is the union of fifty sovereign states built up on the original union of thirteen sovereign states? Have we forgotten what the red, the white, the blue represent as colors of patriotism? or Do we blindly follow what we have always blindly followed? Where are the citizens of our democracy, and where is the line that can be crossed, and what does it take to take that line back?



Keeping the artists from shadowing the shot was the only hitch in the photography session for the day. You can tell by the toes. Auto - flash.

----
Join in the flag discussion in the SodaHead poll in the sidebar. You shouldn't need to sign in to vote, but I made this poll a while ago and don't remember the settings. If you can't vote there, just leave your response in the comments, or become a SodaHead. Either will do.


----