Today is June 14, and that means that it’s the holiday that isn’t, because Flag Day isn’t an official, federally designated observance.
Because there are no rules dictating how it must be observed, it leaves the interpretation of its meaning for each individual to decide for himself. That’s seems fitting for the United States which is, after all, the land of the free.
One of the great qualities of our flag is its timeless design. That also seems to suit our nation, which is the world’s longest-running continuous democracy.
When it’s unfurled and snaps in a brisk spring breeze, it inspires dreams of hope and achievement; when it drapes the casket of a fallen soldier, we are reminded of the price many have paid for our way of life.
In our flag, some see the promise of freedom it made to their immigrant ancestors. Others see a nation that has defended the world from tyranny in conflicts and skirmishes across the globe.
Some see the flag as a symbol of prosperity and free markets; some see it as a reflection of the concepts of free speech and the free exchange of ideas.
Some are attracted to large and impressive flags. Others prefer a more modest flag, such as the small hand-held flags many children wave in parades. So long as it’s in good repair, we’ve never seen an American flag that we didn’t like.
At the sight of each one, it’s difficult not to ask of ourselves: What does the flag mean to the person who displays it? Whatever the answer might be, our nation protects their right to feel that way, and to share it with others.
The flag, of course, is “just” a symbol — but it is a symbol of the greatest nation that has ever graced the planet. If we hope to preserve that heritage, we must consider not only what it represents, but what we’re willing to do to preserve that ideal.