Editor’s note: We’re looking for a variety of young voices to contribute to “Hits Different.” If you’d like to write a commentary, send it to Area Editor Jason Hennington at jason.hennington@ granitemediapartners. com.
When I was in kindergarten, I learned how to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
I stood up straight with my right hand on my heart, and gazed at the flag hanging by the white board.
I did not know what “indivisible” or “justice” meant yet, but I knew what God meant.
By extension, I understood what the United States of America meant.
When I was in third grade, my teacher taught us the symbolism of the flag.
The red-and-white stripes represent the original 13 British colonies, and the white stars represent the 50 states.
In fourth grade, I learned about the Revolutionary War and the original U.S. flag created by Betsy Ross.
As our country has grown and changed, so too has the American flag evolved. More stars were added, but the tribute to the 13 original colonies has remained, a lasting memory of the struggle for freedom and independence that shaped our nation.
When I was in seventh grade, I began noticing something peculiar about the flag.
When I saw it waving on a flagpole, it was sometimes lowered to half-staff. One day I asked why. I was told it was a symbol of grief and remembrance, a sign that our country was mourning a tragedy.
The American flag, though rejected by many, and even burned, will never be forgotten.
From the gigantic flag that covers the football field during the Super Bowl, to the triangle folds symbolically honoring our nation’s dead, the flag’s rich meaning is woven into our American culture and daily life.
The flag honors our veterans, our current brave members of the armed forces, and our country’s history.
We must continue to fight for what Old Glory represents: freedom, liberty and justice for all Americans.
As a nation, we must come together and show respect for our flag once more.
It is not simply a piece of cloth; rather, it is a powerful display of pride and love for the greatest country in the world. For America is the land of the free, and the home of the brave.
