By: Copy Editor + Editorial Team Lead
Joyce S.
Since we first enter the American school system, we
are asked to pledge our allegiance to a three-by-five-foot flag decorated with
a simple, but iconic, thirteen-stripe, fifty-star design. But why does this
piece of cloth mean so much to American culture, and how has the flag’s value
changed since its creation in 1777?
At the end of the funeral service, a
group of sharply uniformed soldiers enters in perfect step with one another. With
almost frightening detail and grace, they then begin the ceremonial folding of
the flag. If you have ever witnessed or attended the funeral of a U.S. veteran,
you probably watched as the soldiers gently placed the newly shaped cloth on
the casket, but what most people don’t realize is that during this folding, one
of the most prolific eulogies was silently said. All thirteen folds of the flag
provide their own meaning, spanning from a reference to the purity of life or
giving thanks to the fallen soldier for their service. Considering all the
power behind each stitch and each fold of the American flag, this action
provides a sense of comfort for those in mourning; their death is not in vain.
Hardiness
and valor are painted across the flag in a vibrant red, followed by purity and
innocence as symbolized by white, and lastly, the striking blue signifies
perseverance, vigilance, and justice. Once again, such profound meaning is left
to be spoken by an inanimate object, which is why I believe that those who created
the flag did not see it as an object but as a symbol of America’s goals, core
beliefs, and priorities. In fact, the official U.S flag code says “The flag
represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.” At first,
the idea of considering the flag as a living being seems almost laughable, but
now that I know how much the flag stands for, I am beginning to understand the
importance of respecting it to the fullest extent.
One
beauty comes from the example of a veteran's funeral. If the flag is truly a
living thing, then that means your country is with you both during and after
life, never allowing your service to be forgotten. The flag code also states,
“The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free”
which references America’s desire for freedom. I see the flag as a
personification of what this country’s citizens want America to be, and the
ability to hope and strive for the ideal America is patriotic in its own sense.
Although
we do not abide by as many flag rules as Americans did in the past, I believe
that our general feelings towards the flag are still strong. But, I wish that
the deeper meanings of the flag were more publicly known. The thirteen stripes
and fifteen stars do much more than symbolize the colonies and states, they are the colonies and states and they
represent every American citizen past, present, and future proudly in a blazing
display of red, white, and blue.
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