What does a country’s flag mean? To me, a national flag represents its country’s identity. It is a physical manifestation of that country’s ideals and values as put forth by the people who inhabit it. It follows, then, that we salute flags to honor, remember and reinforce those very same values.
When I look at the flag of the United States, I immediately think of the gift of freedom, the power of free speech and the ability to forge one’s own path through his or her own efforts. I think also of self-sacrifice, of responsibility and good moral character. When I salute this flag via the Pledge of Allegiance or the national anthem, I and others, vow to uphold and respect these critical characteristics and qualities. To stand up, cross our hands over our hearts, and salute that flag is to acknowledge that we are thankful for the things America gives to us, as well as the contributions of strong-willed, brave and noble individuals who, out of love for their fellow man and their country, want to ensure that those things are never taken away.
My father is a law enforcement officer of almost twenty years. In that time, he has contributed to my local community in ways that still amaze me to this day. Each and every day he and his fellow men and women in uniform work countless hours fighting to keep our streets safe. Their mission is no small feat; they must put their very lives on the line in order to protect the innocent. When you are in uniform, there is no 100% guarantee that you’ll come home unscathed, let alone come home at all.
The same can be said of our troops abroad, fighting in war-torn and hostile environments that are still under siege by terrorist threats that seek to extinguish the free world’s tranquility and prosperity. They too would be willing to give their lives so that their country and its people can live without fear of terrorism and violence. Their sacrifices, figuratively and literally, ensure that our nation is protected against those who would dare threaten it.
When I stand up for the Pledge, I acknowledge the effort that these men and women put into their careers. And it’s not just them; firefighters, doctors, anybody who gives something up to save, improve and protect lives. I acknowledge that the flag stands for the selfless act of doing things for the sake of the greater good; not because there’s a reward, but because it is right.
It saddens me that there is a protest movement going around involving people kneeling down before the flag and refusing to stand for the national anthem. The movement has been called a form of speaking out against social injustices, especially civil rights issues. Refusing to stand before the flag--something that we were all surely taught as early as kindergarten--is apparently justifiable and right.
But not to me.
Those who support this movement say that they mean no disrespect to those who fight for the flag and the ideals it represents. However, whether or not you mean to do something is irrelevant to whether or not that thing is actually happening. By refusing to pay respects to the flag, you insult the great, honest people I have mentioned. And there is a nigh-uncountable amount of them in this country. You insult the things that America stands for.
When we stand up before the flag, we are solemnly remembering the people who work toward the preservation and betterment of America every day. We keep them in mind, whether live or passed on, and promise that we will continue to uphold the values that these people uphold. By doing this, we are pledging to be better, to do the right thing, to give unto others as we would have others do unto us.
We don’t salute the flag out of some blind, nebulous obligation. We do it because we love our country, we respect those who help keep it together and we champion the values associated with justice and truth.
