The National Ensign.
The Flag of The United States of America.
Old Glory.
Whatever you call it, it represents this;
Thirteen stripes of red and white
Blood and purity.
The original 13 colonies
A field of blue.
Honor.
50 stars
The States of the Union
Gold fringe.
Military flag or flag of the Commander in Chief. (yeah, I know.)
More than this though, The Flag is far greater than the sum of it's parts.
The Flag stands for OUR country. It does not represent the Government of the United States. It represents that which is best in all of us. It stands for the ideals of the greatest Nation in the history of Man. It flies over Flander's Fields. It flies over the rusting hulk of the Ship of the Line USS Arizona. It is enernal. Though man may perish from the Earth and Governments fall into dust, the ideals that this Mighty Flag represent are absolute. The ideals are expressed every day, a million times a day. They are expressed by the Marines who stand at the gates of our Embassies around the globe, by the sailors and the ships that ply the Seas, by the Fathers and Mothers who raise their children to believe that man is a free and noble creature and that no man may rightly infringe upon the rights of another.
The flag stands for every man and woman who ever stood looking out at the Moon at night and thought, WE have been there. Neil Armstrong took us all with him and left a piece of all of us there when he planted OUR flag on that faraway and desolate place.
Our flag has flown at the furthest reaches of our world, and WE have been there.
Why? Because we are Americans. By the Grace of God, we are Americans. Citizens of the Greatest Nation on Earth.
I could have been born a woman, or black or short, it would make no difference to me. But, to be born other than an American? What a torment that would have been.
My wife and I spent two years in Spain while I was still in the Corps, we returned to the U.S. on July First and attended a 4H Fair Rodeo. Before the Rodeo began, several children rode around the ring bearing the flags that our Nation has flown during it's history. I cannot express the heart breaking joy we both felt as we stood with unabashed tears running down our faces as we stood and watched those glorious "symbols" pass in review. We were HOME.
You may express a dislike for the flag, or even disgust. The Flag is big enough to take it and still stand unbesmirched. But you display a lack of understanding when you do and you are poorer for it.
I fear and despise my government, but my heart will always belong to my country. I am willing to kill or die for it. I took an oath.
I pledge allegiance to MY Flag, of the United States of America,
and to The Republic for which it stands.
One nation, under God, indivisable,
with Liberty and Justice for All.
and
I, (your name here) do hereby swear (or affirm) to uphold and defend the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA from all enemies foreign and domestic....
This must sound familiar to many here. You will notice that it to says nothing about the Government.
Semper Fidelis.
------------------
Your mind is your primary weapon.
The Flag of The United States of America.
Old Glory.
Whatever you call it, it represents this;
Thirteen stripes of red and white
Blood and purity.
The original 13 colonies
A field of blue.
Honor.
50 stars
The States of the Union
Gold fringe.
Military flag or flag of the Commander in Chief. (yeah, I know.)
More than this though, The Flag is far greater than the sum of it's parts.
The Flag stands for OUR country. It does not represent the Government of the United States. It represents that which is best in all of us. It stands for the ideals of the greatest Nation in the history of Man. It flies over Flander's Fields. It flies over the rusting hulk of the Ship of the Line USS Arizona. It is enernal. Though man may perish from the Earth and Governments fall into dust, the ideals that this Mighty Flag represent are absolute. The ideals are expressed every day, a million times a day. They are expressed by the Marines who stand at the gates of our Embassies around the globe, by the sailors and the ships that ply the Seas, by the Fathers and Mothers who raise their children to believe that man is a free and noble creature and that no man may rightly infringe upon the rights of another.
The flag stands for every man and woman who ever stood looking out at the Moon at night and thought, WE have been there. Neil Armstrong took us all with him and left a piece of all of us there when he planted OUR flag on that faraway and desolate place.
Our flag has flown at the furthest reaches of our world, and WE have been there.
Why? Because we are Americans. By the Grace of God, we are Americans. Citizens of the Greatest Nation on Earth.
I could have been born a woman, or black or short, it would make no difference to me. But, to be born other than an American? What a torment that would have been.
My wife and I spent two years in Spain while I was still in the Corps, we returned to the U.S. on July First and attended a 4H Fair Rodeo. Before the Rodeo began, several children rode around the ring bearing the flags that our Nation has flown during it's history. I cannot express the heart breaking joy we both felt as we stood with unabashed tears running down our faces as we stood and watched those glorious "symbols" pass in review. We were HOME.
You may express a dislike for the flag, or even disgust. The Flag is big enough to take it and still stand unbesmirched. But you display a lack of understanding when you do and you are poorer for it.
I fear and despise my government, but my heart will always belong to my country. I am willing to kill or die for it. I took an oath.
I pledge allegiance to MY Flag, of the United States of America,
and to The Republic for which it stands.
One nation, under God, indivisable,
with Liberty and Justice for All.
and
I, (your name here) do hereby swear (or affirm) to uphold and defend the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA from all enemies foreign and domestic....
This must sound familiar to many here. You will notice that it to says nothing about the Government.
Semper Fidelis.
------------------
Your mind is your primary weapon.