I Pledge Allegiance
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of American and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, UNDER GOD, with liberty and justice for all."
I had the most heartfelt feeling a couple weeks ago I believe I have had in a long time in this area. As I pulled to a stop sign, I looked, and there she was. Magnificent in all her glory!
Now, I have always cried at school functions or any other function where she was present. But something was different this day. I don't know what it was, but all I could do for several minutes, was just sit in my car with chills up and down my spine, wishing I had applied waterproof makeup before going out for the day.
It was as though I was frozen in her presence and that I had not really seen her before. I just sat there watching her. There were two. One to my left and one to my right. Both versions huge and waving in the gentle breeze that was blowing. I felt as though she was saying, "Watch over me, protect me, honor me. I have been the symbol of strength and unity for your homeland for more than 200 years. I have been through many wars, and I have been placed in the hands of hundreds of thousands of widows, widowers, parents and children as the last honor bestowed upon loved ones who fought and died for your great land."
As I sat there, my head swarming with thoughts and visions, I thought about my homeland and as everyone says, "the shape she is in". I know my homeland is in "a bad shape.", but she is my home. She is my country. And as bad as things are, I love her and would never desire to live anywhere else. There is still more good here than bad . I only wish that all who came here from their homelands would love her and respect her as I do.
When I hear of someone burning "my" flag in a riot, my heart breaks; and I want to scream, "go back to your country and burn your own flag, but leave mine alone!" So in the words of an old song, "If you don't love it, leave it. If you're running down my country, man, you're walking on the fighting side of me." The song goes on to say "They love our milk and honey, but they preach about some other way of living."
If that's the way you feel, go back to where you can live that way. If you want to dress that way, go back to the country that dresses in that style. In other words, if you are going to take my American dollars, learn my American language and let your attire be my American attire.
If you are "born and raised in the good ole USA", as bad as you may think she is, honor her and love her, but most of all pray for her. If you are a "naturalized citizen", same thing. You must have seen good in her or you wouldn't have wanted to come live here.
To our local (and national) politicians, I ask that, more than any time in history, take your solid stand for our homeland. You are the "heads of our American Family". Make the right choices, vote the right votes. We put our trust in you. Take that trust and do the right things for our families as well as your own families.
I want to say that I belong to an organization, The Stoddard County Board of Real Estate, and thanks to Jane Flowers who started the tradition, we, for many years, start each of our monthly meetings with the pledge of allegiance. I get chills every month we stand with our little flag and quote those beautiful words.
The two flags I spoke of in the beginning that moved me to tears, are located at Autry Morlan Chevrolet/Cadillac and Blackwell-Baldwin. You are my heroes this week.
REMEMBER: "One flag, one land, one heart, one nation evermore!" (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
See ya next time somewhere in a "korner."
kdover28@gmail.com - 573-820-2404 or facebook me.
Comments
- -- Posted by swift on Fri, Jul 1, 2011, at 4:50 PM
- -- Posted by oldtrooper on Fri, Jul 1, 2011, at 8:49 PM
- -- Posted by Dexterite1 on Sat, Jul 2, 2011, at 5:34 AM
- -- Posted by nomodudmo on Mon, Jul 4, 2011, at 5:33 PM
- -- Posted by geezerette on Wed, Jul 6, 2011, at 9:09 PM
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