The American Flag: Colors You Can Depend Upon

It is ironic that there is a simmering debate over the symbolism of a flag as Americans prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, a day for displaying our nation's colors.  Like the Confederate flag, Old Glory has not escaped criticism and has often been the object of scorn, too.

Many times in the nation's history, desecrating the American flag has been a popular form of protest both at home and abroad.  The red-white-and-blue banner has been burned, stomped, shredded, ripped and spat upon.  Yet it still flutters undaunted from standards across the U.S. and overseas.

The colors of the flag have stood the test of time.  Since 1777, when it was officially adopted, the banner has undergone a series of revisions. But its colors have remained intact, a scared reminder of our founding fathers vision for a new country built on the cornerstone of the rights of a free people.

Those colors were not chosen by happenstance.  The hues were selected after much deliberation, according to Charles Thompson, the secretary to the First Continental Congress.  Thompson, born in Ireland, emigrated with his Protestant family to the colonies to escape religious persecution.

He opposed British rule and became a patriot in the cause to chisel a new nation.  His name appears on many early historic documents, such as the Declaration of Independence.  Thompson was a trusted ally of a host of America's revolutionary heroes, including George Washington.

In writing about the American flag, Thompson penned the following: "white signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and  valor; blue, the color of the Chief (God); and the broad band above the stripes signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice."

When Thompson jotted those words, this country was far different from today.  His description would have been saluted by most in America.  In today's era of political correctness, many would object to Thompson's characterization of the flag as militaristic, religiously offensive and jingoistic.

Some would call that a sign of progress or tolerance.  However, it is a sad commentary on the current state of affairs.  America's colors, once a proud badge for every citizen, are viewed by a growing number of Americans as a symbol of a past best forgotten because of the country's perceived sins.

But in the throes of great national despair, the flag still serves as a rallying point for the nation. Think back to the horrific events of September 11th,  Flags sprouted on churches, on office buildings, in front yards and on highway overpasses.  It united Americans in their resolve to rebound from the attacks.

Let's hope it doesn't take another dark day to remind Americans that Old Glory still represents freedom.  The plethora of diverse and often contentious views expressed by Americans are the fruits of a nation founded on the right of free speech.  That freedom even extends to dishonoring the flag.

Americans have died under the banner of the flag protecting the country and securing the freedom of others facing oppression.  The flag has also proudly flown in times of peace and triumph.  It is a symbol of everything that is admired about America.

Charles Thompson's narrative about the virtues of the flag's colors ring true even today.  This is still a country of hardy individuals, who are vigilant and persevering, even in the face of economic, cultural and constitutional challenges.  They are bound by a common duty to each other.

Take the opportunity this Fourth of July to show your colors.  Fly the flag as a symbol of hope and liberty to many abroad and to citizens of the United States.  There is no flag like the red-white-and-blue because no other nation has done more to protect and defend human rights than America.

May that grand old flag forever wave over a free people.

Fourth Should Be First Among Holidays

After 236 years of fireworks, the meaning of the Fourth of July has lost much of its sparkle.  This once sacred holiday now exists as an excuse for retail sales, backyard barbecues, baseball games and beer swilling.  Most Americans no longer remember why the day is such a cause for celebration.

That is unfortunate because July 4, 1776, was not only the most important day in United States history, but a turning point in the tide of human affairs in world history.

On that date, 56 courageous men risked their fortunes, their safety and their future to approve the Declaration of Independence. Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.  There were 11 merchants and tradesmen and nine farmers.  The remaining minority worked in varying professions.

The declaration's approval came two days after the Second Continental Congress had voted to sever ties with Great Britain, no longer bound to English rule.  The British screamed "treason!" and vowed to rein in the unruly rabble who had ignited this revolution.

After approving the declaration on July 4, the document wasn't officially signed by the brave band of 56 until August 2, 1776.  The original draft was authored by Thomas Jefferson, who made revisions after it was scrutinized by others serving with the Virginian on a five-man committee.

Printer John Dunlap cranked out 200 copies of the 1,330-word document and distributed the broadsides throughout the thirteen colonies.  The publication sparked spontaneous public celebrations in the newly minted nation.

In succeeding years,  parades, speeches, prayers, festivals, troop reviews and fireworks marked the historic occasion.  By 1791 the celebration became known as Independence Day and was adopted as a federal holiday in 1870.   In the intervening decades, the Fourth of July's importance faded, a sad turn of events considering the document ushered in a new era of democracy.

The Declaration of Independence changed the very concept of government.  

Until that fateful date in 1776, it was generally accepted that governments and monarchs dictated what rights their citizens would enjoy.  It was the prerogative of the powerful to rule their subjects. The writers of the Declaration of Independence boldly proclaimed that notion was balderdash.

In this United States, the government derived its "just powers from the consent of the governed."  It was a novel concept untried and untested.  Furthermore, the authors made it clear that people's rights were God-given, not doled out by a benevolent government. That revolutionary idea shook the world.

Citizens of countries throughout the world took notice.  Governments were toppled.  Kings and queens were beheaded.  The whiff of freedom wafting across the oceans from this nascent country changed the course of history for people everywhere.

Over the years, the Declaration of Independence has been held up as a roadmap for democracy.  Many countries have borrowed some of its language in drafting their own constitutional documents.

Yet here in the United States most Americans take their rights for granted.   They've never known a country without freedom. Too many are just as happy to have their government curb the rights of others for their benefit.  Alarming numbers of Americans view their government as the answer to every question.

Americans need to look no further than the U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Obama Care, the ungainly health care law that forces every person to buy government-approved insurance. Under the legislation, the government can stick its nose into every facet of an individual's health care.

Those early patriots would be horrified at the government's usurpation of individual rights under Obama Care.  They believed in limiting the role of the government because they feared what could happen if it became too big and too powerful.  The nation's highest court has ignored the wisdom of those who risked everything in the name of freedom.

Reserve time this Fourth of July to read those 1,330 eloquent words penned more than two centuries ago.  Study the truths contained in that great document.  Then insist that our nation live up to the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.