Honoring Old Glory

Honoring Old Glory
STRAIGHT TALK WITH SAM

June 27, 2005

On February 23rd, 1945 the Stars and Stripes were famously raised over Iwo Jima by Marines who had fought for four days to reach its peak. Pictures of the flag being raised were sent back to the United States where it helped rally a war-weary America. If pictures are worth a thousand words than this one surely says honor, courage and freedom.

Our flag represents more than colored cloth. The American flag is an enduring symbol of liberty, democracy and justice. It represents the ideals that so many Americans have fought and died defending. On the island of Iwa Jima alone more than 6,000 troops were killed in battle.

On Wednesday the House of Representatives passed a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit the desecration of our flag. Since 1994, there have been over 119 documented cases of flag desecration. Old Glory was meant to be flown proudly, not burned.

I proudly supported that Amendment. Burning the flag is a slap in the face to all that it stands for and to all those who defended it. In order to become law it needs to pass the Senate by a two-thirds vote and then be ratified by three-fourths of the states.

This Fourth of July when you see the flag pass by, I hope that you will stand and honor it. For 229 years it has flown over the land of the free and the home of the brave. We should treat it with the honor and respect it has earned.

http://www.house.gov/graves/straighttalk/2005issue26.htm