The American Flag: An Essay

The American Flag: A Thing of Beauty
Jordan Romain (Grade 8)

Have you walked down the streets while the stores and businesses were closing and turned to see something majestic? This something can be seen in any town on almost every street: the American flag.

In this essay I will explore the beauty and wonder of our flag. The things it has seen! The stories it could tell!

Have you noticed how the flag flaps aimlessly in the wind and then suddenly snaps in place like a soldier? It is able to command our attention.

Have you noticed how the colors never bleed together? The white, the red, the blue? Red symbolizes the wonderful soldier’s courage and their shed blood. White represents the selflessness of our soldiers, and blue stands for the vigilance of those who guard and defend our country.

Have you noticed how people salute the flag or tip their hats to show respect? They understand.

Maybe you’ve noticed that a few spit on the ground and wish to burn the flag. They don’t know what this flag symbolizes. It tells of our big country, of those who died for us, of how we became free and how we must stay free.

George Washington loved the Lord. He read Scripture every morning and night. He was such a devout Christian he would not let his army curse or take the Lord's name in vain. In 1776, Washington wrote this communiqué to his officers at Valley Forge:

The General is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice here to fore little known in the American Colonies, is growing into fashion. He hopes the officers will by example as well as influence endeavor to stop it, and that they and the men will reflect that we can have little hope of blessing from heaven upon our arms if we continue insult it by our impiety and folly.

The soldiers who fought for independence sacrificed so much to gain freedom from England. When we finally gained our freedom we wanted a high-flying symbol to show what we are as a people, and that symbol is the American flag.

Everyone has their own mindset on the flag and notion of freedom, but maybe not everyone takes into account all the sacrifices, all the soldiers lost, and the hope for a better future that freedom means for most Americans.