"The American flag doesn't give her glory on a peaceful, calm day. It's when the winds pick up and become boisterous, do we see her strength. When she unfolds her hand and shows her frayed fingers, where we see the stretch of red-blood lines of man that fought for this land."
-- Anthony Liccione, soldier, author
Self-proclaimed "Author of Life" Anthony T. Hincks raised a question, "As we raise our national flag do we also raise our hatred and ignorance?" Is this true? Absolutely, if you're a member of my favorite group, the League of the Perpetually Offended. If so, you are perpetually hateful and ignorant, and we expect nothing more from you than you expect of life - hate and ignorance.
A flag is nothing more than a piece of cloth. As with Holy Scripture, our national flag represents what "we the people" interpret it to represent. In reality, however, the current flag was intended to represent hardiness, valor, purity, innocence, vigilance, perseverance, and justice. There is no mention of divisiveness, hatred, racism, intolerance, inequality, and other such negativity which are the purview of those perpetually offended folks who have a hard time targeting the appropriate offenders to their belief systems or are just too lazy to fight the good fight. They demand a tolerance which they, for the most part, refuse to exercise toward others.
"That flag is a symbol we attach our emotions to, but it isn't the emotion itself and it isn't the thing we really care about. Sometimes we don't even realize what we really care about, because we get so distracted by the symbols."
-- Tom Wolfe (1930-2018), author, journalist
1960's civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) wrote, "Every red stripe in that flag represents the black man's blood that has been shed." Does it? If the black men who shed that blood represented the hardiness and valor which those red stripes represent then, yes, they do. Disc jockey and radio personality Adrian Cronauer put this in a better light, in my humble opinion: "Martin Luther King, Jr. didn't carry just a piece of cloth to symbolize his belief in racial equality; he carried the American flag." Of course, he did, because Martin Luther King, Jr. had great hopes for his nation, this nation.
For every intelligent student of history this flag has represented an undeniable ideology put forth by our founding fathers, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." The flag of the United States of America represents the unalienable rights of all people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Most of all, it represents a belief that all people are created equal and should, therefore, be given equal opportunity to succeed in their pursuits.
If one asks me the meaning of our flag, I say to him: It means all that the Constitution of our people, organizing for justice, for liberty, and for happiness, meant. Our flag carries ideas, American history, and American feelings. This American flag was the safeguard of liberty. It was an ordinance of liberty by the people, for the people. That it meant, that it means, and, by the blessing of God, that it shall mean to the end of time!"
-- Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), abolitionist, clergyman, social reformer
Our flag is a symbol of our country's desire to be the best we can be. Do we fail? Yes, but we try to learn from our mistakes and move forward in unity. Our flag should never be used by our citizens as a focal point for protests and political activism, or as a scapegoat for the inequities in our society. This evidences disrespect for a country which gives these folks the very rights they demand, and yet already have. It is disrespect for all of those who fought and died to preserve these rights which these few naysayers now abuse for some selfish agenda which would be better displayed some other way. It evidences ignorance of the freedom fought for by our patriots and guaranteed by this country's laws, for people to peacefully protest or be political activists. Like a rabid dog, the perpetually offended constantly bite the very hand which feeds them the right to be perpetually offended.
Don't blame the flag for inequities in the system. Better yet, instead of assigning blame, try working to fix the problem. Instead of whining, try being the voice of reason and unity. This country gives us all the same rights, exercise them. If you feel like you're being held back by some entity, there is legal recourse available to try and solve any perceived wrong. Most of all, I recommend doing something our education system seems to fail at - learn history.
Learn real history. What the South calls "that little unpleasantness," the Civil War, might be a good starting point. Ask yourself, if it was all about slavery, why both sides finally considered freeing the slaves three years into the conflict, and who the North sent to pick cotton when it was all over. Better yet, learn recent history, like the 20th and 21st century. Learn about the failures of socialism, communism, Nazism, terrorism, and then look at who we have as elected officials in government, and be very afraid of the path we are on. As a nation, we have always endeavored to be smarter than this.
Oh, and one last point which really has nothing to do with the flag, but just pisses me off. For God's sake, quit quoting Martin Luther King, Jr. out of context. If someone quotes the good Doctor, look up the entire quote before buying into someone's racially divisive bullshit, and just because they marched with Dr. King doesn't make them the next Dr. King. Just saying, "Reverend" Sharpton.
Learn real history. What the South calls "that little unpleasantness," the Civil War, might be a good starting point. Ask yourself, if it was all about slavery, why both sides finally considered freeing the slaves three years into the conflict, and who the North sent to pick cotton when it was all over. Better yet, learn recent history, like the 20th and 21st century. Learn about the failures of socialism, communism, Nazism, terrorism, and then look at who we have as elected officials in government, and be very afraid of the path we are on. As a nation, we have always endeavored to be smarter than this.
Oh, and one last point which really has nothing to do with the flag, but just pisses me off. For God's sake, quit quoting Martin Luther King, Jr. out of context. If someone quotes the good Doctor, look up the entire quote before buying into someone's racially divisive bullshit, and just because they marched with Dr. King doesn't make them the next Dr. King. Just saying, "Reverend" Sharpton.
Note to my readers: If you have questions concerning respect for the U.S. flag or flag etiquette, please visit the following link: "Flag Etiquette"
"Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be."
-- John Wayne (1907-1979), actor, Medal of Freedom recipient
Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.
It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.
We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.
Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.
Excellent post ~ one I plan to share.
ReplyDelete