Honor of the flag

In the words of the brilliant Henry Ward Beecher, the American congregationalist clergyman, and social reformer, known by his supporters of the abolition of slavery, and his emphasis on God’s love, “A thoughtful mind, when it sees a nation’s flag, sees not the flag, but the nation itself. And whatever may be its symbols, its insignia, he reads chiefly in the flag, the government, the principles, the truths, the history that belongs to the nation that sets it forth.”

The American flag, a remnant of the history of the American people, is viewed in different ways by different people. To them, where it has done deeds in which we’re displeasing to their eyes and ways of life, they burn it in the name of hate, objurgating to its philosophies and way of life , as an indication of enmity towards the people it symbolizes. For in its name, imperfect men have carried it committing horrendous attrocities, which becomes one of its colors . And so forth to some it is a symbol of prosperity, freedom, hope, and deliverance from the dark terror of tryranny and oppression, thus apt to partake of the flag’s worthy philosophies.

Let us take our school to account along with the actions of our student body and teachers therein, as I suppose it is evident that all eyes and ears have beheld and heard of the morning scenery. When the birds are patiently waiting to sing meraculous melodies, when the sun brightly covers the sky with mystical ever glorious colors.

The junior ROTC cadets of our school, are lined up in rows standing still at attention, like discplined mountains unshaken through all seasons. They do not make any sort of movement since before them the flag of their nation is about to be raised. Thus after a moment of silence, the commanding officer orders to,“present arms”, and at once the cadets hands go up in salute.

The flag unfolds, as it is released in the air, its stars shinning ever bright. The white stripes of the flag shine, as the red fades, in reality soldiers must fade, and are stricken by death’s shadows so that the light of freedom may still shine ever clearly and bright among us. The United States’ athem song, “The Star Spangled Banner”, written on 1814 by a 35 year old lawyer and amauter poet Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment attack of Fort Mc’Henry by British ships in the War of 1812, fills the air. The song ends, and the commanding officer orders, “ order arms” , and like falling trees, all the lifted hands go back to their proper places, as an end to their daily tradition. The commanding officer ordes “fall out”, and they go about their day.

Do you honor the flag, by stoping and putting a hand over your heart?,I am a cadet in the JROTC, and sadly people stare at us, bewildered when we honor the flag in the morning. None find it proper nor fiting to stop and look up the flag. So where have we gone wrong? Our renowned philosophy of our day is that we give repect to those whom give us respect, yet the soldiers who fell , those who are about to fall, and those who saw their comrades fall, give more than their respect, they give, and gave their lives. What better illustration is their of love or respect than laying one’s life for another?.

So it makes me more than angry to see you all walk by the flag bewildered as if we are foreingners. Thus I encourage and rebuke you to stop, proudly and humbly, show respect to your country’s flag, anytime you see the JROTC honor it. Take only 1 minute out of your time to see your colors soar up in the air like engel.

“To have really live, you must have almost died. To those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavour the protected will never know”

-Scrawled on a bunker outside Khe Sahn, RVN