Hello, there: Tom, Dick, Harry, and Jim!
Got a minute? I want to tell you who I am.
Even if you don't have time, I hope you'd like to hear
who I am.
My name is Glory. My first name is Old.
People called me Old, even when I was New.
I was born - Oh, --- ah, O.K. --- I was made in 1777.
You see, it was like this:
Seeking Freedom, a lot of people came to this new world,
called America.
Disorganized, and faced with illegal taxation, these people,
now thousands, formed Independent States.
So as to become stronger against the British oppression, these states
joined together, becoming united.
Thus, was born the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Now, that's when I come into the picture.
These States, now united, needed a symbol to reflect this unification.
I am that symbol.
I was born --- yeah, I know --- I was made, by a lady named Ross
from some old red, white and blue pieces of cloth.
I had thirteen white stars sewed on a blue background.
Each star represented one of the original thirteen States
Which formed the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
When a new state becomes a member of the Union,
I add a star representing that state; I now have fifty.
Also, Betsy sewed in thirteen stripes, alternating red and white.
Yes, I am the flag of that new nation, the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
As its symbol, I represent that nation's hope, pride, unity, power, ideals,
victories, sorrows, -- its history; as well as its pursuit of Liberty,
Freedom, and Happiness for its people.
So, you see, Tom, Dick, Harry, and Jim; I've been around a long time.
I was there when George Washington and his hungry and threadbare Army
crossed the Delaware;
I was at Ft. McHenry, when a feller named Key wrote a song about my
"----Broad Stripes and Bright Stars ------- so gallantly streaming."
and "--- that Star-Spangled Banner Yet Waves O'er the Land of the
Free and the Home of the Brave."
It was a sad time, I remember, when some of your ancestors fought for the North,
while some fought for the South in the 1860's.
The South had its own flag; and those fine young men of the South
saluted their flag, while at the same time, some of them had
brothers who owed their allegiance to me.
It was such a grand feeling when Abe Lincoln was able to bring the South and the
North back together again. Yes, United. Surely, it was intended that all the
states be united as the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Once again, I was the official symbol of the entire nation.
I was respected and saluted by all the people. I was so fortunate to
represent such wonderful people.
Wars have a way of bringing all people together as one.
World War I was no exception.
I was in the trenches in France with the American Expedition Forces when
the courageous young men of America were fighting the "War to
end All Wars."
And, Jim, that's when I first met you. As a six year old, you carried
me in your school's parade celebrating Armistice Day in 1918.
Growing into young manhood in the Great Depression, you learned
and appreciated patriotism.
Accepting a Reserve Commission in the United States Army, you
swore to uphold the Constitution and to protect me. I appreciated
that.
I have always been heavily involved with the military forces of the United States.
Do names like Flanders Field, Marne, Kasserine Pass, Anzio, Omaha
Beach, Falais Gap, Bastogne, Metz, Remagen, Guadalcanal,
Okinawa, Hiroshima, Heart Break Ridge, Panmumjom, Pork Chop
Hill, Hanoi, or Kuwait mean anything to you?
Jim, I'm sure you know them well.
And Tom, Dick and Harry - if you don't - you're cheating
yourselves - you don't have a full appreciation of being an
American.
I have great respect and admiration for the servicemen who
represented the United States in combat against the enemy in those
remote places as well as many others. I was there.
And, you know what, those guys honored and respected me.
I was just a symbol; but I represented home, and their loved ones who
they knew were enjoying freedom back at home.
I was just a symbol, but they knew I was worth fighting for.
Not many of them even knew about Roosevelt's Four Freedoms.
Those guys fought for their country as represented by me,
and for their buddies who were right there with them.
Jim, you were there.
Maybe you can tell Tom, Dick, and Harry better than I -- what
motivated all you young men to fight. Didn't I have
something to do with it?
Following the wars, I delighted in leading the Victory parades.
What a thrill it was to see the show of patriotiosm.
I still wave with excitement just thinking of all those people
lined up on both sides of the street.
And as I passed, each man removed his hat, placing it just
below his left shoulder so that his hand was
over his heart.
Everyone knew and executed the correct salute.
Nowadays, I know parades are not so frequent. Memorial ceremonies,
honoring brave young men who didn't come home, are held only
on certain days.
But, Jim, and you too, Tom, Dick, and Harry, have you noticed
as I have, as I go by, that too often people don't place their hand
over their respective hearts, just don't bother to render any
sort of salute? Some even have their hands in their pockets.
I must be honest with you, fellows. I see signs of greed and
and commercialism replacing patriotism.
Memorials, dedicated to the memory of brave young men who gave up
their lives while fighting for this country, have been forgotten,
destroyed or renamed.
As the symbol of this great nation, I have stood for the principles on which
it was built -- Freedom, Liberty, Justice, and Right to Pursue
Happiness. There has been a great collection of stout-hearted
men and women who have made it possible for me, the symbol,
to remain strong.
The overall effort which made this nation, as well as its symbol, strong,
while at the same time, peaceful, is called good old-fashioned
patriotism.
I ask you, Jim, Tom, Dick and Harry, is patriotism dead? Do your
children know that when they salute me, they are, indeed,
saluting and thanking those thousands of patriotic Americans
who gave their lives to preserve the freedom which they,
your children, enjoy today?
They know how to salute, don't they???
We are thankful, aren't we???
And now, Jim, and you, also, Tom, Dick and Harry:
I must confess that I am prejudiced toward the men
and women of the Military.
After all, they dedicated themselves to all that I hold dear.
They respected, saluted, and yeah, died for me. It's the
least I can do, in return, to shroud them when the
mournful sound of "Taps" pronounces the termination
of their final Tour of Duty.