ccss
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Where did the idea to regulate the way Americans choose to respect the flag come from, anyway? With all the emotion attached to the flag ceremony today, one would think that it originated in the very beginning, along with the Declaration of Independence. As it turns out, the U.S. Flag Code didn't even come into existence, as law, until 1942.
Prior to Flag Day, June 14, 1923, neither the federal government nor the states had official guidelines governing display of the nation's flag. On that date, the National Flag Code was constructed by representatives of over 68 organizations connected with the American Legion. Those rules were later adopted into law in 1942. Therefore our flag ceremony is a recently devised celebration. Neither our Founding Fathers, nor anyone else saluted the flag, sang the National Anthem, or made the Pledge of Allegiance in the way we do today until those rules were adopted in 1942. PM
In fact, the nationalist attitude surrounding the flag today is a shift from earlier sentiments when it was largely a military ensign or convenient marking for American territory that rarely appeared outside forts, embassies, and the like. Then, during the Civil War citizens throughout Northern states co-opted the national flag to symbolize U.S. nationalism and rejection of secessionism. It became a popular item to the common citizen.
The first pledge ritual involved a salute whereby you raised your right hand outward in front of you with the palm down, pointed toward the flag and recited the words of the pledge, a salute very near that of the Nazi salute. The words of the pledge have been through various changes over time with the original written in 1892 as a marketing ploy to get flags in schools. The latest revision added the words "under God" in 1954. The flag code established the current hand over heart salute in 1942.
The "Star Spangled Banner", though written in 1814, did not become the official national anthem until 1931. The melody was adapted from 'To Anacreon in Heaven', a British song that praised drinking and sex, with the words written by a pro-slavery lawyer, Francis Scott Key. The official procedure for its playing and response was finally established by the Flag Code adopted in 1942.
This is not an attempt to minimize or belittle our nation's symbols, rather it is meant to try to put them into their proper places, just for perspective. A symbol is simply a material thing that represents something else. A picture of Jesus only represents Jesus; it is not something, in and of itself, that deserves worship. Far from it.
Our flag, anthem, and pledge are simply symbols that represent the ideals established in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, a way of life that we have striven to establish here in this country which supports a people who are free and equal, a government and economy that establishes and protects an environment where "we the people" can live out a rewarding life in which we care for each other and other people throughout the world, a country which cares about its citizens' life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
When the subject of those symbols fails to live up to the ideals they are supposed to represent, they become a lie and are worthless in their own right. They have no inherent power to carry on those ideals. The flag still flies in the breeze, but it has no meaning; it is simply a piece of cloth that will fade and wear out in time. Symbols have value and meaning only to the extent that the ideals that empower them remain in place and in power. The symbols deserve no attention or respect on their own.
In the beginning, these symbols of our country did not exist. They were added in rather recent times and, I believe, to some degree, we treat them as if they are sacred, and we think we have arrived; we have reached that pinnacle of culture and society whereby we think we're pretty close to perfect. And, that is dangerous thinking.
I don't know if someone famous actually said the words or not, though I've heard them quoted often: "the greatest expression of patriotism is dissent". If someone famous didn't say it, they should have. We should be ever diligent in recognizing and pointing out when and where our country misses the mark in order to insure that we never lose what we have worked so hard to establish here. Unfortunately, we have in recent times, become impressed with ourselves to the point that we're more than ready to go on the attack and ostracize anyone who dares suggest that we're anything less than the greatest country to ever exist. That's exactly the kind of attitude that Nazi Germany had at the height of their misguided nationalistic experience and it feeds nicely into the hands of those who would have an interest in seizing control of our country.
Beware!
Prior to Flag Day, June 14, 1923, neither the federal government nor the states had official guidelines governing display of the nation's flag. On that date, the National Flag Code was constructed by representatives of over 68 organizations connected with the American Legion. Those rules were later adopted into law in 1942. Therefore our flag ceremony is a recently devised celebration. Neither our Founding Fathers, nor anyone else saluted the flag, sang the National Anthem, or made the Pledge of Allegiance in the way we do today until those rules were adopted in 1942. PM
In fact, the nationalist attitude surrounding the flag today is a shift from earlier sentiments when it was largely a military ensign or convenient marking for American territory that rarely appeared outside forts, embassies, and the like. Then, during the Civil War citizens throughout Northern states co-opted the national flag to symbolize U.S. nationalism and rejection of secessionism. It became a popular item to the common citizen.
The first pledge ritual involved a salute whereby you raised your right hand outward in front of you with the palm down, pointed toward the flag and recited the words of the pledge, a salute very near that of the Nazi salute. The words of the pledge have been through various changes over time with the original written in 1892 as a marketing ploy to get flags in schools. The latest revision added the words "under God" in 1954. The flag code established the current hand over heart salute in 1942.
The "Star Spangled Banner", though written in 1814, did not become the official national anthem until 1931. The melody was adapted from 'To Anacreon in Heaven', a British song that praised drinking and sex, with the words written by a pro-slavery lawyer, Francis Scott Key. The official procedure for its playing and response was finally established by the Flag Code adopted in 1942.
This is not an attempt to minimize or belittle our nation's symbols, rather it is meant to try to put them into their proper places, just for perspective. A symbol is simply a material thing that represents something else. A picture of Jesus only represents Jesus; it is not something, in and of itself, that deserves worship. Far from it.
Our flag, anthem, and pledge are simply symbols that represent the ideals established in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, a way of life that we have striven to establish here in this country which supports a people who are free and equal, a government and economy that establishes and protects an environment where "we the people" can live out a rewarding life in which we care for each other and other people throughout the world, a country which cares about its citizens' life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
When the subject of those symbols fails to live up to the ideals they are supposed to represent, they become a lie and are worthless in their own right. They have no inherent power to carry on those ideals. The flag still flies in the breeze, but it has no meaning; it is simply a piece of cloth that will fade and wear out in time. Symbols have value and meaning only to the extent that the ideals that empower them remain in place and in power. The symbols deserve no attention or respect on their own.
In the beginning, these symbols of our country did not exist. They were added in rather recent times and, I believe, to some degree, we treat them as if they are sacred, and we think we have arrived; we have reached that pinnacle of culture and society whereby we think we're pretty close to perfect. And, that is dangerous thinking.
I don't know if someone famous actually said the words or not, though I've heard them quoted often: "the greatest expression of patriotism is dissent". If someone famous didn't say it, they should have. We should be ever diligent in recognizing and pointing out when and where our country misses the mark in order to insure that we never lose what we have worked so hard to establish here. Unfortunately, we have in recent times, become impressed with ourselves to the point that we're more than ready to go on the attack and ostracize anyone who dares suggest that we're anything less than the greatest country to ever exist. That's exactly the kind of attitude that Nazi Germany had at the height of their misguided nationalistic experience and it feeds nicely into the hands of those who would have an interest in seizing control of our country.
Beware!