2014 Flag Retirement
A
person recently asked several friends which they would rather be known as, a
patriot or a statesman. People were
puzzled by the question. Many did not
know the difference. Sadly, some
responded that they would not want to be either.
Two
major organizations that survey attitudes of Americans recently reported
disturbing findings. A Gallup poll found
that only 79% of Americans are satisfied with the amount of freedom they enjoy. That is down from 87% who were satisfied with
America’s freedoms just six years ago. Of
nations reporting a decline in satisfaction with their own country’s freedom,
the United States was fifth from the bottom with only countries like
Afghanistan and Syria having more dissatisfaction. In a separate research done by the Pew
Foundation, findings showed that only 28 percent of Americans today believe
that the United States is world’s best nation.
That is down from 38 percent in 2011.
So,
what does it mean to be a patriot and just exactly what is a statesman? A patriot is a person who loves and zealously
supports one’s own country, while a statesman is one who is wise or experienced
in the business of government. A true
American patriot waves the flag and stands behind the assertion that “these
colors don’t run”. The real American
statesman works tirelessly to see that our system of government works and that
the interests of our people are represented and protected. Neither is an undesirable label. In fact, a person sould be honored to be both
a patriot and a statesman. Sadly, it
appears we are in a short supply of both patriots and statesmen.
The
presence of the United States of America is represented around the world by our
flag – thirteen alternating red and white horizontal stripes representing the
original thirteen states and fifty white stars representing each of the fifty
states, on a dark blue field normally located in the upper leading corner of
the flag. It is the third oldest flag in
the world and is emulated by other countries, including Malaysia, Bikini Atoll,
Chili, and Liberia. Even the Communist
country of Cuba’s flag is patterned after the U.S. Flag.
Though
the current design of the flag was designated by Congress in 1777, how it got
to be this design is somewhat of a mystery.
At the beginning of the American Revolution our flag consisted of
thirteen alternating red and white horizontal stripes, with a British Union
Jack placed where the star field is located on the current flag. Folklore and tradition state that George
Washington commissioned Betsy Ross to sew the first Stars and Stripes based on
a pencil drawing that he made of his family coat of arms. But, the Betsy Ross story is only one of multiple
flag origin stories. What is known for
sure is that after the Second Continental Congress approved of the design of
our flag, word of its adoption reached Fort Stanwix during a battle with the
British. Soldiers cut up their shirts to
make white stripes; red was taken from the red flannel petticoats of the
soldiers’ wives to make the red stripes, and the blue star field came from an
officer’s blue cloth coat.
Since the American Revolution, our flag has flown in each
of the 67 wars it has been engaged in, including the Utah War, the Overthrow of
the Kingdom of Hawaii, the 27 declared wars against Native American Tribes, and
of course the American Civil War. Our
flag flies over our military bases, embassies and consulates around the world,
over government buildings, schools, private businesses, parks, private homes,
and even on the moon. Our flag is the
first symbol of our nation you encounter when crossing the borders from Canada
and Mexico into the United States. Our
military personnel, police, and firefighters wear flag patches on their
uniforms.
But, simply wearing the American flag on a uniform or
putting it on a flagpole at your home does not make you a patriot and certainly
not a statesman. Patriotism begins by
fulfilling minimal citizenship responsibilities, including exercising your duty
to vote, serving on juries, obeying our laws, and defending our nation against
all threats, foreign and domestic when called upon to do so. We begin becoming statesmen when we educate
ourselves in our history, our heritage, and our government and then working
together to preserve “our religion, and freedom, and our peace” (Alma 46: 12),
and our duties and rights.
We display patriotism by showing reverence to our flag,
such as standing at attention and placing our hands over our hearts when the
flag is being raised and lowered and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. We display patriotism by not allowing that
flag and what it represents to be sullied “in consequence of evils and designs
which … exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days” (D&C 89:4). And, lastly tonight, we display patriotism by
properly retiring a flag of the United States that has stood as a witness of
“liberty and justice for all”.
Proper flag retirement etiquette calls for a ceremonial
burning of the flag. We will now unfold
the flag and hold it as you stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. We ask that you remain standing, hand over
heart, until the flag is consumed by fire and you are invited to be seated.
