“We are either a United people, or we are not. If the former, let us, in all matters of general concern, act as a nation, which have national objects to promote, and a national character to support. If we are not, let us no longer act as a farce by pretending to it.”
– George Washington
Greetings everyone, I just want to once again say what a great day it was last Saturday, the 250th birthday of our United States Army. I cannot remember our Nation having such a celebration at the 200th birthday, and I hope it can be done again at the 275th…chances are I will not be around for the 300th. The Nation had an impeccable history lesson in a three-hour span as our troops chronicled the campaigns of our Army in period uniforms. I am very sure most of our America had no idea about the Army birthday. Or that before there was an America, there was an Army.
Saturday was also the 248th birthday of our American flag; hence, June 14th is also Flag Day. This goes quite complementary with the Army motto of “This We’ll Defend.” And perhaps that is a cornerstone of the quote from our first General of our Continental Army and first President, George Washington. Our American flag is our national object, and it is the embodiment of our national character. As each of those Soldiers marched down Constitution Avenue, it is vital to never forget that in their service to our Nation, if they are to make the ultimate sacrifice, our Flag will drape their coffin…and be presented to their beloved Family.
What is quite disconcerting to me is that somehow we have lost that sense of a national character, and therefore, the honor in promoting and protecting our national objects. I think about the men who jumped into Normandy, our American paratroopers, who wore the American flag, 48 stars at the time, on their right shoulder. Today, our troops continue that tradition in donning our Flag on the shoulder of their combat uniforms. Our national anthem, initially known as the Star Spangled Banner, pays homage to the Soldiers of Ft. McHenry who protected our flag, our national object, symbol, during the withering naval bombardment in the War of 1812…This We’ll Defend.
However, in 1989, our Nation took a very wrong turn into becoming the “farce” that Washington articulated. It was in that year the US Supreme Court decided in Texas v Johnson the desecration of the American Flag is constitutionally protected free speech, and thus cannot be prohibited by federal or state statute. Interestingly enough, prior to 1989, 48 States and the District of Columbia maintained laws banning the desecration of our American flag. I truly thought that the Judicial branch was supposed to interpret the law, and Title 4 of the United States Code, law, known as “The Flag Code,” establishes the requirements for the handling and displaying of our American Flag. I do not think it says anything about public burning or desecration.
So, here we are today, those aligning themselves with Islamic terrorist organizations tearing down our national symbol, a direct attack on our national character, and setting it afire. This has been done on Veterans Day in New York City, and even at Union Station in our Nation’s capital, within eyeshot of our Capitol itself. Now we have domestic terrorists, anarchists, and those supporting criminal illegal immigrants openly burning our American flag while waving that of another country, and the symbol of an Islamic terrorist organization, Hamas. In my interpretation, that is not constitutionally protected freedom of speech; it is a direct assault on our national character and sedition.
Finally, we have two American legislators who are willing to say, dammit, enough!
US Senator Steve Daines (R-Alaska) and my former colleague and retired US Army COL. Congressman Steve Womack (R-Arkansas) have introduced H.J. Res 101, which proposes a Constitutional Amendment granting Congress the power to prohibit the desecration of our American Flag. They recently published an op-ed in the Daily Caller on the piece of legislation.
Should this joint resolution pass and the amendment be ratified, the American people, not unelected black robed jurists, through their elected Congressional representatives, would be able to correct this insidious folly. The American people could restore our national character by protecting our national symbol, the American flag, a sacred emblem…one that draped my Dad’s coffin, and will drape mine.
I fully support H.J. Res 101 and ask true Americans to call upon their Congressional Representatives in the House and Senate, and tell them to get this to the floor, and support it. Now, I will find it interesting if certain members of our federal legislative branch do not support this joint resolution. If any of them do not support this joint resolution, in the words of President and General Washington, they are a farce and not representative of our national character.
Honestly, I am doggone done with watching useful idiots burn our American Flag. If that is truly how these imbeciles feel, then happily find a nearby airport and catch an international flight and depart the AO!
I will never forget Chicago Cubs outfielder Rick Monday and his heroic act in 1976 when he prevented two idiots from setting the American flag on fire there on the field. Monday received a standing ovation from the LA Dodgers crowd (the Cubs were playing in Los Angeles). What a darn difference from then to Los Angeles today. Once upon a time, we were a United people, with national objects, symbols, that we protected, and a national character to preserve.
Steadfast and Loyal.
