A Historical Reflection Before This Flag Day
Old Glory Deserves Better: A Flag Day Reflection on Patriotism and Politics
The Colors Still Mean Something—Even If Our Leaders Forget
Tomorrow, June 14th, Flag Day in the United States, marks the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as our national flag in 1777. It’s more than a date on the calendar—it’s a moment to reflect on the ideals the American flag is meant to uphold: unity, sacrifice, and freedom.
While not a federal holiday, Flag Day has long symbolized the American spirit. It should never be confused or diluted by any individual president’s birthday. In fact, President Woodrow Wilson officially established it in 1916, saying that the flag stands for “the culminating experience of our nation.”
In a time when the country was facing global conflict and domestic unrest, the flag was a reminder of shared values and collective resilience.
The Colors Speak Volumes
Each element of the U.S. flag carries meaning, especially its colors:
Red symbolizes hardiness and valor—a nod to those who have fought and sacrificed to protect our freedoms.
White represents purity and innocence—the foundational ideals of a republic built on justice and fairness.
Blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice—qualities essential to defending liberty and maintaining our democratic institutions.
In short, the flag is more than a design—it’s a living emblem of American principles. Or at least, it should be.
From Reverence to Retweets
But these days, Flag Day often goes unnoticed—especially by those in power.
The current president, like many modern politicians, seems content to reduce patriotism to a carefully crafted tweet or a half-hearted statement—if anything at all.
Or perhaps by even planning a parade with possibly no mention of the flag itself, and the true meaning of what the day should be about especially in light of all the chaos at home and in the world. Honoring one branch of the military reaching a milestone by rolling down and destroying city streets and taking over the airways is only a diversion for the real things that one may be trying to gain reverence for.
Don’t be fooled, like the story of the emperor’s new clothes.
This year, don’t expect a meaningful speech, or call to unity, or acknowledgment of what the flag truly stands for.
Instead of honoring the legacy, we’ll get more political noise, meaningless fist pumps and head nods, finger-pointing, and empty gestures behind a staged event.
I’ll offer an alternative. Turn it off, tune it out and find a place in your community that is flying Old Glory and be sure she is not torn. Visit a Veteran’s Cemetery or your local town’s War Memorial if you have one. If you do, clean up around her and maybe sit by Old Glory and reflect a while before you go. I am lucky to have such a sacred place in my own community, one in which my late father, a Korean War Veteran, had his hand in building. I wrote about this special place here in my post Keep the Faith.
It’s as if the colors have faded—not on the fabric, but in the hearts of our leaders.
When a supposed commander-in-chief can’t be bothered to honor Flag Day with more than silence or symbolism, or birthday cake, it sends a clear message:
Old Glory is no longer a guiding light, but a backdrop to political theater.
If you’re going to stand in front of the flag, you ought to stand for what it represents.
