The American Flag: Symbol of our nation
Friday, is Flag Day, a day where Americans honor the symbol of our nation.
It’s a day when we fly “Old Glory” with pride and respect for the freedoms we enjoy.
The American flag has always been the symbol we look up to and goes back to 1776 when Betsy Ross designed and sewd the red, white and blue colors together to represent our country and its citizens.
It was the inspiration to Francis Scott Key, who wrote the Star Spangled Banner, after observing the flag flying over Fort McHenry in the Baltimore, Maryland harbor on Sept. 13, 1814 following a night of bombings by the British in the War of 1812.
In his final two lines of the National Anthem, Key summed it best by writing:
Oh! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
The flag also is mentioned in the first line of the Pledge of Allegiance that says, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.”
Not only has it flown over every battle ever fought by American troops, but today the flag is flown over every federal building in the United States.
Many U.S. citizens have also taken up the practice of flying one at their homes.
The 13 alternating red and white stripes and 50 stars on a field of blue have its meaning as well.
The flag’s alternating 13 alternating red and white stripes represent the 13 original colonies including Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The 50 white stars appearing on a field of blue indicate the 50 states of the United States.
The designation of June 14 as Flag Day originally began from a grass roots movement in 1916 which led to President Woodrow Wilson proclaiming the day for nationwide observance.
However, it was not until 1949 when the US Congress designated June 14 as the official Flag Day.
Although there are some who abuse the flag by kneeling in front of it when the National Anthem is played or others who have set the flag on fire in a protest against our country, the flag’s true meaning remains a living piece of history.
It shows the source of pride and unity and epitomizes the true qualities that make our nation great including liberty, justice, freedom and love of country.
On Flag Day, Lavaca County not only displays Old Glory, but also when driving around the Courthouse Square, you will see the flags of each state in the nation encircling the Courthouse.
It creates a beautiful sight in downtown Hallettsville.