I AM THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; MY NAME IS OLD GLORY. I FLY ATOP THE WORLDS TALLEST BUILDINGS, I STAND WATCH IN AMERICAS HALLS OF JUSTICE, I FLY MAJESTICALLY OVER GREAT INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING, I STAND GUARD WITH THE GREATEST MILITARY POWER IN THE WORLD. LOOK UP! AND SEE ME. “I STAND FOR PEACE – HONOR - TRUTH AND JUSTICE. I STAND FOR FREEDOM. I AM CONFIDENT I AM ARROGANT I AM PROUD. WHEN I AM FLOWN WITH MY FELLOW BANNERS, MY HEAD IS A LITTLE HIGHER MY COLORS A LITTLE TRUER I BOW TO NO ONE!!! I AM RECOGNIZED ALL OVER THE WORLD, I AM WORSHIPPED - I AM SALUTED - I AM RESPECTED. I AM REVERED - I AM LOVED AND I AM FEARED! I HAVE FOUGHT IN EVERY BATTLE OF EVERY WAR FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS: GETTYSBURG, SHILO, APPOMATTOX, SAN JUAN HILL, THE TRENCHES OF FRANCE, THE ARGONNE FOREST, ANZIO, ROME, THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY, GUAM, OKINAWA, TARAWA, KOREA, VIETNAM, THE PERSIAN GULF AND A SCORES OF PLACES LONG FORGOTTEN BY ALL EXCEPT BY THOSE WHO WERE THERE WITH ME, I WAS THERE!! I LED MY SAILORS AND MARINES I FOLLOWED THEM I WATCHED OVER THEM THEY LOVED ME!! I WAS ON A SMALL HILL ON IWO JIMA, I WAS DIRTY, BATTLE WORN AND TIRED BUT MY SAILORS AND MARINES CHEERED ME! AND I WAS PROUD!!! I WAS AT GROUND ZERO IN NEW YORK CITY ON SEPTEMBER 11TH AS COWARDLY FANATICS ATTACKED AMERICA. I WAS RAISED FROM THE ASHES OF ONCE PROUD BUILDINGS BY BRAVE FIREFIGHTERS. HEROES, WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS, SHOWING ALL THAT AMERICA, ALTHOUGH BLOODIED, WILL NEVER BE BEATEN. THOSE WHO WOULD DESTROY ME CANNOT WIN FOR I AM THE SYMBOL OF FREEDOM, OF ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. I HAVE BEEN SOILED, BURNED, TORN AND TRAMPLED ON THE STREETS OF MY OWN COUNTRY AND WHEN IT IS BY THOSE WHOM I HAVE SERVED WITH IN BATTLE, IT HURTS. BUT I SHALL OVERCOME FOR I AM STRONG! I HAVE SLIPPED THE SURELY BONDS OF EARTH AND FROM MY VANTAGE POINT ON THE MOON; I STAND WATCH OVER THE UNCHARTED NEW FRONTIERS OF SPACE. I HAVE BEEN A SILENT WITNESS TO ALL OF AMERICAS FINEST HOURS, BUT MY FINEST HOUR COMES WHEN I AM TORN IN STRIPS, TO BE USED AS BANDAGES FOR MY WOUNDED COMRADES ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE WHEN I FLY HALF MAST TO HONOR MY SOLDIERS, AND WHEN I LIE IN THE TREMBLING ARMS OF A GRIEVING MOTHER, AT THE GRAVE-SITE OF HER FALLEN SON OR DAUGHTER I AM PROUD!!!! MY NAME IS O L D G L O R Y LONG MAY I WAVE DEAR GOD LONG MAY I WAVE.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 13:24:18 +0000