Flag Day is still important

Thursday is Flag Day. You won’t find it on many calendars. It’s been relegated so low that some calendar manufacturers don’t even include it anymore.

Thursday is Flag Day, a holiday so insignificant that most people aren’t even aware that it exists. And yet, for more than a century, Flag Day was a major holiday in the United States. People used to fly the flag and plan other activities around the day.

But, in the last few decades, the Fourth of July has taken over the territory once reserved for Flag Day. Now we combine our Independence Day with Flag Day, and make do.

But, the flag of the United States has a profound and significant impact on our country. It is the only unifying symbol of a diverse nation. A country of immigrants needs a unifying symbol. The flag is it.

We are the only country to pledge allegiance to the flag. We don’t pledge allegiance to the government. We don’t pledge allegiance to a church. We pledge allegiance to the flag.

Our National Anthem glorifies the flag. That after an all night bombardment during the War of 1812, our flag was still flying.

There are many myths surrounding the flag, but one thing is certain. During times of national crisis it takes on more meaning.

The planting of the American Flag on Mt Suribachi on Iwo Jima has become a national icon.

And, more recently, the flag saved from the ruins of the World Trade Center and proudly flown by New York firefighters is only the most recent affirmation of how seriously we take the flag.

We’ve been at war for more than a decade now. We need to fly the flag tomorrow as a symbol unification and a symbol of hope.

Thursday is Flag Day. If you haven’t flown your flag in years, take it out and put it up, even for a few hours.

Flag Day is still important.