On Flag Day, fly it high

TODAY IS FLAG DAY. We encourage everyone to fly their American flag high, not just on this day, but every day.

Over the past several years, our country has grappled with division and some have used the flag in expressions of rage.

We believe, especially now, we should look to the flag as a beacon of hope and unity. The American flag is not a symbol of a nation without flaws, but a symbol of inspiring hope in the collective ideals we all hold. The American flag has long been a symbol of pride for this country.

It has flown over battles and wars fought by generations of soldiers.

In the rubble of the Twin Towers following the 9/11 attacks, three firefighters raised Old Glory high and in that moment of anguish, the flag stood resolute and the nation came together as one.

At that time there was a resurgence of respect for the flag, as it offered a comfort no other symbol could.

While the Fourth of July is traditionally celebrated as America’s birthday, June 14 is a day to celebrate America’s flag and all that it stands for.

On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national flag day on June 14.

“The things that the flag stands for were created in experiences of a great people. Everything that it stands for was written by their lives. The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment but of history. It represents the experiences made by men and women, those who do and live under the flag,” President Wilson said in his Flag Day Address on June 14, 1915.

But the story of America’s flag starts much earlier. It has long been held that in June 1776, George Washington commissioned Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, to create a flag for the new nation in anticipation of a declaration of its independence. However, it was actually New Jersey Congressman Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who designed the first flag while serving on the Continental Navy Board. On June 14, 1777, John Adams spoke about the flag at a meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

He said, “Resolved, that the flag of the 13 United States shall be 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be 13 stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

There have been 27 official versions of the flag so far; stars have been added to it as states entered the Union. The current version dates to July 4, 1960, when Hawaii became the 50th state.

If it’s not outside your home or business already, don’t wait until the Fourth of July to raise the flag.

When you do, make sure to display it properly.

According to U.S. Flag Code, the flag should not touch anything beneath it and shouldn’t be allowed to be soiled or torn, if you display it at night, illuminate it. The flag should be displayed often, especially on national holidays.

How we, as Americans, choose to uphold this nation’s lasting commitment to liberty — how we add to that awe-inspiring legacy — shapes each new chapter of that history. As long as our spirit of patriotic love and heroic sacrifice remains undiminished, America’s fundamental, defining tenets will endure — even as debates, disputes, elections, presidents, senators and representatives come and go.

Especially on Flag Day, Old Glory embodies America’s glory — a precious gift bequeathed to us by our founders and forebears.

We must be faithful stewards of that gift, making sure that future Americans will fly the Stars and Stripes just as proudly as we do today.