Flag Day

Flag Day was originally started as "Flag Birthday" back in 1885. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson established today as Flag Day, and in 1949, Truman signed an Act of Congress marking June 14 as National Flag Day.

Unfortunately, today many people just don't seem to respect the flag as a symbol of our country. I would expect that many don't know the words to "The Star Spangled Banner". I don't know when it became cool to not show respect to your country, or worse, show blatant disrespect for this country and its symbols. That being said, I love this country because you are free to speak badly about it - but I am also free to disagree with that sentiment. That's why you'll find a flag flying in front of my home every day.

Major League Baseball has a clip available today that sums up these freedoms. It is from April 25, 1976, where Rick Monday of the Cubs grabs a flag from two protesters about to burn it in between innings at a Cubs/Dodgers game. It is classic. I don't know if the video will be available for long, but I urge you to look for it. What's amazing is that the crowd began to cheer, and spontaneously broke out into a rendition of "America the Beautiful".

If you cannot share my sentiment, look for the picture of the firemen raising the flag at ground zero. If that doesn't elicit an emotional response in you, I think you might be dead or possibly from France, or both.

SL