Flag Day on June 14th is a celebration of the Stars and Stripes, the enduring symbol of a nation founded on the idea that people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and circumstances can come together as one people. It is also an opportunity to reflect on whether we are still living up to that promise.
The traditional American motto, E Pluribus Unum — “Out of many, one” — captures the genius of our republic. It was suggested to the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the same day as the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Francis Hopkinson, a Declaration signer from Pennsylvania, led the idea of the stars and stripes and designed the flag as a visual representation of our motto.
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Unfortunately, as political rhetoric becomes more divisive than ever, we are sadly moving toward “out of many, many.”
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Politicians and some in the activist class have turned our nation into a divisive soup. It’s no longer, “I disagree with you on policy,” but senseless name-calling and irrational assumptions that disagreements equal moral failure on the part of others.
It is a recipe for national and personal disaster if we keep going in that direction. Our nation should be a promise of prosperity, not having politicians telling everyone that they are either a victim or a tyrant. Or citizens yelling at each other, “You’re MAGA!” “You’re a LIBERAL!”
How refreshing would it be to have someone run up and yell, “Hey! You’re an AMERICAN!” at you, instead?
The good news is that even as politics and the perennially unhappy on social media try to divide us, we are still “we the people.” As such, we don’t just get the last say in our own governance, but we are the arbiters of our own behavior and interactions with others.
We are a diverse nation, but our strength has always come from our ability to unite around shared values, common citizenship, and a belief in opportunity.
Too often, Americans are encouraged to see themselves first through the lens of race, religion, income, or identity rather than as fellow citizens. In many communities, particularly in struggling urban areas, political leaders have spent decades emphasizing what divides us instead of what binds us together. The result is a culture of grievance, suspicion, and resentment that benefits politicians more than the people they claim to represent.
A successful nation is built when people work together to create businesses, strengthen neighborhoods, raise families, and solve problems. Prosperity grows from cooperation and shared purpose — not from being told that we are permanent victims or permanent oppressors.
The greatest privilege in America is not wealth, status, or political power. It is the inheritance of a nation governed by the rule of law, sustained by generations of sacrifice, and represented by a flag that belongs equally to every citizen. That flag stands for liberty, opportunity, and the belief that our future is brighter when we move forward together.
We are as responsible for representing the flag as it is for representing us. This responsibility extends to those of us who work in public affairs and public relations. We help inform public debate, connect communities, and foster understanding among people with different perspectives.
How we do it matters. A lot.
Effective communication should not deepen divisions or exploit grievances for attention and political gain, even when advocating for a specific policy or action. Instead, it should elevate facts, encourage civil discourse, and remind Americans of the values and aspirations they share. It should also, as I recently wrote, remind us of the freedoms we share — and those in places like Iran regrettably do not possess.
In a time when outrage often dominates headlines and social media feeds, communications professionals have a unique opportunity — and, arguably, an obligation — to help strengthen the bonds that unite us rather than the forces that pull us apart.
Grandma always said, “It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it.” Nowhere is that more true than in the communications industry.
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On this Flag Day, we should recommit ourselves to the idea that Americans have far more in common than what separates us. No matter our stripes, and no matter what stars we are reaching for, we remain one nation under the same flag.
That ideal is worth celebrating — and worth defending.
Kerri Toloczko is Director of Public Affairs for Proven Media Solutions.