Flag Day is just 3 days away. Originating as early as 1885, June 14th was proclaimed as Flag Day by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. Later in 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed an Act of Congress which made every June 14th National Flag Day.

One of my earliest memories of learning about the American flag was when I was in grade school.  I had learned how to properly fold the American flag during Girl Scouts.  There was always one year where the students of a specific grade (maybe 5th grade) were responsible for putting the flag up and  taking it down every day.  Too often that year, the students didn’t properly do it and the task was assigned to my friend Jessica and me.  Together, every day, we worked together to put the flag up and then honorably take it down and fold it for the next day.

The American Flag is a symbol of so much to so many.  To me, this quote from Calvin Coolidge says it best:

“We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth. It represents our peace and security, our civil and political liberty, our freedom of religious worship, our family, our friends, our home. We see it in the great multitude of blessings, of rights and privileges that make up our country. But when we look at our flag and behold it emblazoned with all our rights, we must rememberthat it is equally a symbol of our duties. Every glory that we associate with it is the result of duty done.”

– Calvin Coolidge

With this being an election year, there’s a lot of buzz around what liberty, freedom and security mean to people.  Politicians try to help define it for us and we as a collective people exercise our right when we vote for whom we think the best person for the job should be, which person we feel will best defend our freedom and liberty and help keep us safe from harm.

But all too often, many lose site on what it truly means to be an American.  We sometimes take for granted the freedoms we have and how life once was when those liberties were not granted to us.  We forget that we are all free to pursue our own

happiness and that pursuit does not always need to be agreed upon or shared, just merely respected.  We need to be reminded that our freedom did not come without a price, and for many that price was their lives.

We forget, and we need to be reminded.  That is why we need the stars and stripes.  And that is why Flag Day should be a day of honor and pride and celebration.  Take time to celebrate our star spangled banner, the red white and blue, in the best way possible.  Teach the younger generations about the flag and what it stands for.  Teach them the proper way to fly it along with how and why it should be treated with respect.  Teach them what it means to be an American and how being an American also comes with great appreciation for those who live their lives in service: military, civil, and in the public sector as a civilian volunteer just trying to make this a better country.

Featured American Patriotic Products from SupportStore.com

United States of America Flag Lapel Pin

Item# CHC1107FLAG1

This is the classic rectangular American flag pin you see worn by American presidents and other civil servants. Made from die struck brass, plated in gold, enamel color filled, and epoxy coated for added protection. Each pin includes a clutch back and is individually poly bagged. Pin measures 3/4″ on the long dimension.

Price: $0.99 to $2.99 each

Buy Now

Buy Other American Patriotic Products