During a podcast recording on Sunday evening, Rob Harper, host of After Dark with Rob and Andrew, described a situation at his children’s school. They were being educated on the history and meaning of the “Pride” flag. Harper didn’t object to this, per se, but he then asked his children what they learned about the American flag. They were not able to tell him anything.
Sadly, this is the state of affairs plaguing our country’s education system. Moreover, it’s indicative of our society’s lack of pride in the American flag.
We used to be a proud and proper country that celebrated what our country represented. Our flag has always been seen as a beacon of hope, a symbol of freedom — which is why President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring June 14 as Flag Day in celebration of the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. More than three decades later, in 1949, National Flag Day was formally established by Congress.
Incidentally, Philadelphia is at the core of our flag’s history. Not only was it adopted in the city, but it is widely believed that Betsy Ross made the first American flag. Ross is celebrated in Philadelphia as an important historical icon. Her house is a historical landmark where many visitors come to hear re-enactors tell the tale of her life and how she was selected to make the first flag.
But, more importantly, every Flag Day, the Betsy Ross House is the location of a naturalization ceremony to swear in a number of legal immigrants as citizens of the U.S. It’s a patriotic moment for the city and the rest of the country, and it highlights the appreciation that many immigrants have for our great country.
Their stories stand in stark contrast to the many who are eager to vilify and attack the flag. These immigrants left their native lands in hopes of bettering their lives and pursuing the American dream. They came here to pursue a promise of freedom and opportunity — a promise the flag represents.
There’s a reason that, year after year, more people want to immigrate to the U.S. than anywhere else. They understand that this country stands for freedom, offers everyone the chance to pursue happiness, and guarantees to those who want it the equal opportunity to make a better life for oneself. So, no matter how much the Left tries to diminish the prominence of the “red, white, and blue,” there will always be those who recognize the virtues of the American flag and its promise of liberty — both at home and abroad.
