I know, I know...Flag Day isn't really a holiday but hey, the American Flag is a symbol of the past, present and future of this wonderful nation- the past being the 13 stripes representing the original 13 states, the present being the 50 stars representing the 50 states and the future being the fact that there is hope that this great nation will endure. Here I go, getting on my soap box again but for over 2 centuries, people have fought and died to give us the opportunity to fly this flag so what can I say, I get a little patriotic now and then.
Flag Day is always celebrated on June 14 because on that day in 1777, in the midst of the American Revolution, the Second Continental Congress adopted the first American Flag. Until the early 1900's Flag Day celebrations tended to be local things. Civic groups would hang a new city flag, picnics would be held on the town square, all that good stuff. Pennsylvania was (and still is) the only state to recognize Flag Day as an official state holiday.
In 1907, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks decided that the US government wasn't doing enough to honor the American flag so Elks Lodge leaders decreed that Elks Lodges across the country had to hold bigger celebrations on Flag Day.
On Flag Day the very next year, in 1908, President Teddy Roosevelt was eating in a restaurant in Philadelpha when he thought he saw a fellow diner blow his nose on what appeared to be a small version of the flag. Completely enraged at this abuse of the flag, TR jumped up, grabbed a small wooden rod laying nearby and smacked the guy 5 or 6 times on the head. That's when he noticed that the man's "flag" was actually just a navy blue handkerchief embroidered with white stars. Teddy apologized for the beat-down and then popped the man in the head one more time for good measure since he got him all riled up with an excess of patriotism. Imagine sitting there enjoying your lunch and the President of the United States whopping you upside the head with a big stick!
By 1916, the Elks' Flag Day celebrations caught the attention of President Woodrow Wilson who decreed that although Flag Day wasn't an official Federal holiday, all government buildings would henceforth fly the flag and celebrations would be held.
Today, throughout the country, there will be parades, celebrations and new flags flying. The Boy Scouts are setting up stations for people to drop off their old flags so that they can be properly destroyed.
So, even though it's not a real holiday, please take a moment today to remember what our flag stands for and to honor those who have fought and died so we can fly it.
grt
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